Audio By Carbonatix
Memoryhouse, Twin Sister, SLEEP ∞ OVER
The Loft
August 25, 2010
Better than: ironing out the kinks of that new Windows XP installation.
Each of the two non-Texan touring bands who took the stage last night at The Loft have enjoyed a busy summer of touring the United States, with Memoryhouse even enjoying a stint in Europe to capitalize on the buzz that their pop music dreamscapes has sent throughout the indie music scene.
Such is the world that we occupy in 2010, with both Memoryhouse, as well as August touring mates Twin Sister, yet to even record a full-length album.
How does this happen?
Thanks to the Wide World of Blogs, bands such as these two can
eliminate the middle man, so to speak, preferring a DIY approach and
cutting out the record label part of the equation, getting the music
right into the ears of the listeners. Rising in popularity over the past
couple years, the aesthetic known in some circles as “chillwave” was on
brazen display for the audience of The Loft.
Opening the night was Austin band SLEEP ∞ OVER, whose airy
soundscapes and chilling female vocals aligned perfectly with the aural
approach of the headliners. As a whole, those with a soft spot
for feminine vocals would have been on cloud nine for this one, as each
of the acts showcased an extremely talented female vocal performance.
Brooklyn’s Twin Sister came next, mostly showcasing material from
this year’s arresting Color Your Life EP, which is only the five-piece
band’s second recorded release. Definitely the band with the most edge
of the night, they blended the hazy lilt elements of dreampop with
occasional guitar wailing. Lead singer Andrea Estelle, with her slight
build and savagely cool sense of style, held the crowd’s intent
awareness as she skillfully weaved in and out of the texturally-potent
backing of the musicians behind her.
After what was an expectedly sedate performance given the genre, Twin
Sister let loose a bit as they sprawled before the crowd on the closing
song “The Other Side of Your Face,” which both opens and closes with
extended instrumental section. The experimentation that they hit on with
their mix of ambient music with something a bit harder is a fine lesson
in charming charisma.
Memoryhouse, closed the night, reminding us in the process that they
are indeed a brand new band. The Guelph, Ontario, duo of Denise Nouvion
and Evan Abeele were joined by another guitarist for the live act, which
consisted of a pair of guitars, a keyboard, and a sampler.
Their debut from earlier this year was the hauntingly beautiful The
Years EP, four charming songs whose run time do not even reach the
15-minute mark. With so little material, one has to wonder exactly what
they fill their time on stage with.
This skepticism was somewhat quelled
by knowing that they have recently played shows in London, Paris and
other points across the pond. So how did it go?
Well let’s just say that Memoryhouse had a rocky start off the line.
Partially into their first song, the beautifully atmospheric
“Lately,” the band abruptly stopped playing, none of them able to hear
the stage monitors as they performed. After some tweaking, they gave it
another shot, absolutely nailing it. Nouvion’s vocals filled the room
excellently while simultaneously sounding far away, almost as if she was
a ghost or singing underwater. Her Nico-esque ambiance was tempered by
the deep cadence of a bass drum hit, thumping and rumbling underneath as
Nouvion’s alluring voice rained down from above.
But the sound problems continued for the band–while the effect was
only subtly apparent to the audience, the lack of proper monitor
calibration wreaked havoc on the band as they attempted a fix with the
sound guy before each song. About half way through the set, they gave
up, opting to scrap the sampler and go the route of relying on playing
their instruments.
While some acts would simply fall apart without the aid of electronic
assistance, Memoryhouse actually came out on top, paring down their
sound with no ill effects on the show. The sound carries with it a
definite bedroom recording aesthetic. This “unplugged” section of the
show sounded more appropriate given the organic nature of the band’s
sound. The vocals seemed more at home on this more proper pedestal.
The show was saved.
Their lack of recorded material was another non-issue. They played
the songs fans were familiar with, including a second (and better)
rendition of “Lately” after the relegation of the sampler. They also played a
couple of promising new songs. And they closed the night with two
impressive covers.
The first was My Bloody Valentine’s “When You Sleep” from the 1991
ahead-of-its-time shoegaze prototype release Loveless. Closing the show
was a cut from last year’s epic Grizzly Bear LP Veckitamest,
“Foreground.”
Critics’ Notebook
Personal Bias: In addition to being exceptionally talented, each of
the lead singers were cute. Like real cute. I am not to be blamed if
that fact colors my commentary in any way.
Random Note: At concerts of this genre, you can expect to see a few
things: crossed arms, hands in pockets, plaid shirts and very little
dancing. I want to reserve this space to give a shout out to the one guy
who was absolutely rocking out. Clad in the skinniest of skinny jeans,
clunky black Nikes, thick black-framed glasses, and a black tee, the
wildly spiky-haired young man consistently pulled out moves from the
Fresh Prince book of dance (but not as good as Carlton).
By the Way: While Memoryhouse played without a sampler for half of
the set, they seemed very at home doing so. They say that they’ve never
played a concert like that, but they did record a session for
yourstru.ly using the sampler-less approach. That session has yet to
be released, so be on the look out.
