If It's Too Loud...

There are a few factors that can lead to a disastrous live performance. A fully seated venue, tables and waitresses taking orders, an early start time, and technical issues can make any band give a bad show. On Sunday night at the Iron Horse Music Hall The Deslondes faced all of these and shone through. A seated venue might be a perfect place for The Deslondes to perform. Even their most up tempo songs still come across as laid back. It was still a bit tough, since they did remark that they do usually ask the crowd to stand up and dance at one point, and with all the tables, there just wasn’t enough room. A few couples did wander way in the back near the back bar to find some room to dance, but the majority seemed to be fine with just watching the show. Somehow the appreciative crowd was able to keep up enough energy despite the tables and chairs to keep the show staying lively. What might work out in The Deslondes’ favor the most is their complete Southern charm. How many b...

A slower week, but an abbreviated post given my schedule blowing up again. The Plan - Nervous Energy : This is a different one, for sure. The Plan is absolutely going the strange, stilted indie rock route with this, and the returns are interesting in and of themselves. I can’t say for sure whether I liked it, but this is an album of odd song structures and challenging listens. I didn’t love it on first listen, but this is absolutely an album I want to revisit. I recommend giving it a shot, especially in a slower week. Various Artists - Tegan and Sara Present The Con X : A tribute/covers record of Tegan and Sara’s The Con . It’s not my favorite T&S record at all, and my familiarity with the songs has deteriorated with time. The versions here? As with any album like this, it’s hit-or-miss. Some interesting takes, other ones that just don’t work. Take what you like and leave the rest, I think. Dori Freeman - Letters Never Read : We enjoyed Dori Freeman’s previous record,...

Like us, you might be familiar with the name Twain than his actual music. He's played with such current folk luminaries as The Low Anthem, Spirit Family Reunion, and The Deslondes, and has played the Newport Folk Festival. He has a new album coming out in October, and has shared the first song from that album. "Solar Pilgrim" masterfully merges mainstream neo-folk and freak folk. At some moments it seems like he could be the next Langhorne Slim, and at others he's the next Devendra Banhart. It's a touch line to straddle, since going too far either way could be a disaster, but Twain does it expertly. It's all raw, beautiful vocals with hauntingly spare instrumentation that is still fully fleshed out. "Solar Pilgrim" is brilliant. You can listen to "Solar Pilgrim" below. The new album from Twain, Rare Feeling , will be released October 20 on Keeled Scales. For more information on Twain, check him out on Bandcamp and Facebook . Tour dat...