Matt Bauer's a freakin' hero. (Mikael Kennedy)
Our own Daniel Rodrigue wrote about Oklahoma’s Evangelicals in June, and if you caught their show at Club Dada then you know they’re certainly worth checking out tomorrow night at The Cavern.
The real draw, however, may be the spare, lovely Appalachian folk of Kentucky-bred Brooklyn resident Matt Bauer. Full disclosure: I last caught Matt when he played to about twelve of my friends on a Tuesday night in March of 2007, when the two of us shared a bill (along with San Francisco’s Garrett Pierce) at Denton’s beloved Secret Headquarters. His solo banjo tunes were easily the highlight of the evening, and the quietly gorgeous “Western States” (a live version of which is available on his MySpace page) has been a mixtape staple of mine every since.
Matt’s newest album, The Island Moved In The Storm (fitting, eh Galveston?), fleshes out his enchanting sound with the voices of singer-songwriters Alela Diane and Mariee Sioux, as well as trombonist/vocalist Elizabeth Dotson-Westphalen and drummer Angela Webster, who’ve played with former locals St. Vincent and Rhett Miller, respectively. A concept album about a young, unidentified woman found murdered near Georgetown, Kentucky, in the late ’60s (known to this day as the “Tent Girl”), the record also incorporates Matt’s own memories of his Kentucky childhood, with whispered melodies and spare instrumentation reminiscent of Will Oldham or Iron and Wine. In short, it’s a stunner, and with Denton’s excellent Dust Congress opening Saturday’s show, I’d say it’s worth braving a little rain and wind for.
If that sounds good to you, we've got a pair of tickets to give away to the show. First person to email Pete with the phrase "Beard Folk" in the header gets 'em.
After the video, a super sweet video for Bauer's "Barn Owl." --Noah W. Bailey
