This past Wednesday I made my way over to the Middle East Upstairs to catch a multi-genre bill that touted contributions from Say Hi, Slowdim, Andy Sadoway, and the Symptoms.
The first act of the night was Allston-based indie troupe The Symptoms. While clearly being the youngest performers of the evening, it only took a few songs into their set to show why they’re one of the more impressive and accomplished young bands in Boston. Although technical issues with keys and guitar amps, at times, offering up more unintended hum and buzz than was comfortable, this group showed that they write songs with a quality and maturity that more seasoned live performers would envy.
Unassuming frontman James Fraser (vocals, bass, keys) offered up an impressive vocal performance that seemed to fall somewhere between the hushed tones of Sufjan Stevens and the descriptive lyricism of a pre-Codes and Keys Ben Gibbard. The use of repetitive, droning vocal lines was effective over the moody yet frenetic soundscapes that were provided by both guitarist Drew Smith and keyboardist Ben Berners-Lee. The only instances in which their age showed was in their sometimes uneven level of physical enthusiasm and in-between song banter. In my experience, if those are the only criticisms to be drawn in a review… you’re doing just fine. I look forward to following this group as they grow into the already mature material they’re writing and performing.
Following the Symptoms was Andy Sadoway and his eponymous band (each member of which was clad in a gentlemanly blazer because… sure, why not). Sadoway, who plays in several notable bands including Bent Shapes and Destry (the latter of which features Straylight Run and Northstar alums), led the group through an anachronistic set from center stage, donning a vintage-looking hollow body guitar. The songs ranged from a melodic, 60’s throwback, lo-fi vibe to an almost Spoon-inspired, modern indie-pop complete with 70’s-era instrumentation. Baselines walked about, coupled with an impressively performed, saturated Rhodes stage piano, as dueling guitars presented seemingly every chord to have ever been described as “ooh, jazzy!”
The band itself made a strong showing, including Sadoway, whose skill on guitar is certainly worthy of his pedigree. The one area that fell short was the vocal performance. While it was clearly going for the kind of laid back, conversational tone that can be found in a number of indie-pop groups, Sadoway’s vocal left something to be desired when compared to the musicality of both his and his band’s instrumental prowess.
Also, a Sade cover, complete with talk-down bridge.
Next up was the power-pop trio Slowdim. I’ll preface the following with a disclaimer: I can’t say enough good things about this band. From the moment they hit the stage the energy in the room grew exponentially. Paul Sentz, whose guitar tone was a driving melodic fuzz akin to J Mascis, fronted the band with an impassioned vocal that had me drawing favorable comparisons to both Ben Bridwell (Band of Horses) and James Mercer (The Shins). Complimenting Sentz’s vocals with well placed and intelligently written harmonies throughout, was bassist Karina DaCosta. At one point I found myself wondering where an underlying synth tone was emanating, only to realize it was DaCosta delivering a near pitch perfect series of “Oohs”.
The remaining third of the trio, and driving rhythmic force, was drummer Mikey Holland (who also plays in the Dazies, Mean Creek, Trabants and American Echoes). To put it simply: Holland hits the drums hard. There were moments where I was simply waiting for science to show up in the form of several busted drum heads. Numbers like “Birds” (which appears on their self titled 2013 debut) found me involuntarily and approvingly bobbing my head along with the pounding chorus.
The thing that I appreciate about a band like Slowdim is that, while they’re certainly driving and energetic, the songs themselves contain enough varied dynamics and expertly crafted hooks to keep you guessing. The contrast between their uptempo, rollicking offerings and the more contemplative, stripped down numbers allowed for each moment to feel distinct and genuine. Sentz and company demonstrated that you can be substantive and indulge in just plain, feel-good rocking out.
[It should be noted that this article initially mis-identified drummer Mikey Holland as being James Zaner, who is listed as the drummer for Slowdim on their social media pages. We regret the error! – N]
Closing out the night was the Seattle-based Say Hi (formerly known as Say Hi To Your Mom). The band is comprised solely of Eric Elbogen, who handles all of the instrumentation on the project’s various recordings. While he’s been known to tour with a full backing band, Wednesday’s performance found the suit-and-sneakers wearing Elbogen accompanied only by a laptop, microphone and midi-control pad, which brings us to the part of the review where I admit to having a particular bias against this type of presentation. Especially when an artist has demonstrated a significant talent on any particular instrument within their catalog. In this case, Say Hi’s recorded material offers up varied arrangements that feature both acoustic and electric guitar as well as live drums and other non-digital elements.Although, this is less true on his more recent releases, most notably this year’s electronic-based Endless Wonder (Barsuk, 2014).
It should be said that, despite the lack of live instrumentation, the crowd was definitively here in support of Say Hi. If this came down to a majority vote, Elbogen’s set was a success. But in the interest of sharing my honest opinion (this being a subjective review, and all), I have to admit that I felt that the performance was somewhat like watching someone sing over their iTunes library, while occasionally playing a few single-note melodic passages. Having said that, the songwriting itself was enjoyable. After all, even if he was simply singing over pre-recorded tracks, Elbogen is a gifted songsmith who knows his way around a catchy chorus.
I’ll also tip my hat to Say Hi for committing 100% to his performance. There wasn’t a moment of his stage time where he wasn’t swaying, jumping, or dancing along to the songs. Whether they were about heartbreak, spaceships, or vampires. [Note: Say Hi has an album almost entirely about vampires. That is a thing.] Also, when a bigger touring act takes the time to graciously thank and name-check not only all the supporting bands, but also the sound guy, you’re alright in my book.
You can check out all of the bands via their links below: