Even in the wake of an oncoming snowstorm, the crowd still turned out to spend the evening with Hamilton Leithauser. It had been awhile since the solo Leithauser returned to Boston. On this visit, a sold out show at The Sinclair, he would be sharing new songs off his latest record I Had a Dream That You Were Mine.
Lucy Dacus warmed up the crowd with her smooth, sultry vocals. Her voice harkens back to Monica Martin of Phox, but embodies a more subdued presence. A perfect compliment to Hamilton on this tour, Lucy boasts a blend of blues, indie, and edgy rock. She and the band are based out of Richmond VA, fresh off the release of their first Matador Records album No Burden. Some of my personal favorites from her set included the lively “I Don’t Want to be Funny Anymore” and moody rock tune, “Troublemaker Doppelgänger.” I appreciated the dreamy start and slow build in “Map on a Wall.”
Hamilton’s hearty set was filled with all the croons, flourishes, and bursts that knock you backwards off your feet that he’s known for. I especially enjoyed that he played a lot more guitar than usual during this particular evening.
Leithauser’s new record, a collaboration with Rostam Batmanglij (ex-Vampire Weekend), takes on an ambitious electric vibe favoring more modern elements. Some of the new tunes venture into the rock landscape while the slow piano, folk and doo-wop are still layered between. New melodies in “In a Black Out,” “Sick as a Dog,” and “1959” feel like old, familiar friends. While many of the other arrangements on the record allow his sound to evolve, stepping outside the twangy, twinkling vintage instruments we hear in The Walkmen and on his previous solo albums. Not too much, but just enough for you pick up on, nod along, and really dig.
Hamilton has managed to incorporate the music of the past with that of the present and keep the train rolling forward. “You Ain’t That Young Kid” kickstarted with harmonica and piano reminded me a bit of Bob Dylan and it seemed like everyone in the room knew all the words to the upbeat “A 1000 Times.” My personal favorite, “The Bride’s Dad” (along with the story of how it came to be) always puts a smile on my face and gets me singing along. Throughout the set I saw the range of Leithauser’s musicianship and was pleasantly surprised at how well his new songs translated to the stage.
Outside the music, Hamilton’s stage gaze remains steadfast, something I remember well from his time with The Walkmen. His look is one of blissful thought, a stare that reaches past the crowd and beyond the walls of the room. It is as though we catch him in a daydream. Where he drifts off to we’ll never know.
