At Bonnaroo Friday, the rain held off, providing slightly less muddy conditions in which to stand, and a slightly more excruciating sunburn with which to live. But my discomfort was swiftly squelched as the day filled with memorable shows. On to the reviews:
Gomez
After the half-day schedule on Thursday, I began my Friday viewing with Gomez at 12:30 in the afternoon. In Our Gun is one of my favorite albums, so while I eagerly anticipated my first experience with the English quintet, I had also heard through the grapevine that their more recent concerts left something to be desired. When it was all said and done, what I desired was a broader selection of their older music. What I love about In Our Gun is the seamless blend between electric and acoustic rock, a feat Gomez accomplished in their first few numbers, mostly somber and light. Nothing against somber and light, but I’m not sure it’s the band’s strong suit. The middle of the set was, unfortunately, nothing special. It sounded like your traditional rock band, jamming out some choruses and filling in space with (I hate to say it) stale guitar solos.
But I also got what I came for when they hearkened back to “Ruff Stuff,” showcasing the brilliance of electronic samples, strummed acoustic guitar, and engaging rhythms pushing the song forward. However, after I got my fix, Gomez returned to the unfortunately formulaic songs more akin to the first half of the show. The bottom line, I suppose, is that the band is talented enough to rock you, it’s just a matter of whether or not they’re going to give it to you.
Animal Collective
Luckily, in my case, the next act was Animal Collective, fresh off their latest release, Merriweather Post Pavilion, which is in the running for many as the best album of 2009. The trio from Baltimore manned their posts (frothing with cables and equipped mostly with buttons, knobs, and keys) and set off on their concert-long extravaganza. Animal Collective is not your typical rock band. They’re not even your typical experimental band; their experiments always seem too calculated to be considered experimental. Built to be heard in stereo, Animal Collective’s clinks and whacks panned left and right, while almost always maintaining some manner of buzzy thump to keep heads shaking and feet tapping. The group was at its best during moments when the discernible elements of hip-hop, post-rock, and electronica wove together under the overlapping and heartfelt harmonies of Panda Bear and long-time buddy Avey Tare.
One of my first thoughts was that the band would have been more effective at night, as their light show and beats so conducive to body-moving might have been accentuated. In any case, Animal Collective displayed a mastery of their craft within the programmed electronic genre they have created for themselves. A number of songs ran a few minutes longer than the studio versions, which irked some listeners around me, but as I mentioned earlier, the intentional nature of the sometimes repetitive noisiness allows it to sit just right with me. They concluded their set with “Brother Sport,” a slow-building anthem which eventually declares jubilantly, “Until fully grown/You got a real good shot.” Ultimately, I can’t say Animal Collective sounded as good as they do on Merriweather, though it’s an easily forgivable offense for a group unabashedly pushing the musical boundaries into untrodden territories.
Grizzly Bear
I went to see Grizzly Bear mainly because critics are falling all over themselves in praising the latest album, Veckatimest, and I was tired of not being in the know. Though I’ve given their most recent albums a few listens, their performance on Friday absolutely floored me. The Brooklyn-based group pumped out song after song with transitions between quick, controlled guitar spasms and driving melodic and rhythmic cadences, often breaking into angelic four-part harmonies. It was as though The Shins, Fleet Foxes, and Beach Boys were deconstructed and put back together in a psychedelic folk-rock sound that doesn’t really fit into a category quite yet.
On a few occasions, the paced, meditative music would give way to moments of brilliance that were not only worth the wait, but enhanced because of it. Among the great compositions on the set list, “Two Weeks” might be the most accessible to the virgin Grizzly Bear listener. There aren’t many bells or whistles with these guys. In an age where auto-tuners are king, acts like this give hope to the legitimately talented musicians who are willing to put in the work to write a masterpiece that sounds better live than it does on the album. Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be, after all?
Al Green
As one who reviews music, it seems like a cheap way out to say that some artists possess “it.” That elusive it, a quality of a performer which defies explanation in its clearest sense. That said, whatever it is, Al Green hasn’t lost it over the years. To be honest, I scheduled my time so that I could catch a glimpse of The Reverend before slipping over to the TV On The Radio tent nearby. But then Al and his posse of soulful talent reared back and launched “Tired of Being Alone,” “Let’s Stay Together,” and a gorgeous cover of The Bee Gees’ “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart,” and it was perfectly clear that I wasn’t going anywhere.
The man was looking as sharp as they come in a red silk tie and pinstriped suit, and the charm of his huge, toothy grin was palpable from my vantage point a few hundred yards away. When he wasn’t tossing roses to—or making eyes with—the audience, Al would intermittently deliver smooth vocals, knowing that the crowd would supply them while he’d gear up for one of his many goosebump-inducing falsettos. As the set wound down, we were treated to a quasi-medley to highlight “where I come from,” including doo-wop hits like “Sugar Pie Honey Bunch,” “My Girl,” and “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay.” I went to see Al Green to see if he still had it. After witnessing his powerful performance, I will never again doubt his status as the genuine article.
Phoenix
I’ll just start by saying it: Phoenix was one of the best shows I’d seen at Bonnaroo so far. After dispelling the rumor that their flight to Manchester was canceled by taking part in an impressively lengthy sound check, the electro-poppers exploded onto the Bonnaroo scene. I was surprised, having arrived 45 minutes early, to find a healthy crowd already crammed under the tent to witness the liver version of their newest album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. It was well worth the sweaty wait. Phoenix dove into “Lisztomania,” a fun and catchy number that had the masses energized from the get-go. Although the album has a few clear standout tracks, it was also evident that there’s plenty of goodness to go around.
Another entertaining dynamic of this band is that it’s compiled of characters. A spirited drummer wailed on his kit with passion and precision, while clean blasts of synth mashed by a bearded Jesus-type were met by bouncy bass lines, joyful guitar licks, and the beautifully whiny and terribly addictive vocals of Thomas Mars. Toward the end of the set, Phoenix showed some range by nailing an eight-minute version of the mellow, atmospheric “Love Like A Sunset.” After the dazzling performance, they closed with “1901,” or as I’ve come to call it, the single that keeps on giving. Between the end of the song and a return to the stage for a final chorus, Mars took a crowd surfing expedition halfway across the audience of those who were fans of Phoenix before and those who had just experienced a conversion.
DOWNLOAD: - Phoenix - 1901 (a/k/a "the single that keeps on giving") (MP3) or Follow us for more MP3s (Twitter)
Ugh. Paste’s profile of Free Energy made me kind of hate them. So does your review. It’s this unctuous defense of good-time rock-and-roll ("we’re just here to party, and we’re awesome!") that seems more self-serving than fun-loving.
by beth on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 09.41 pm from the entry: Foreign Born + Free Energy - The Knitting Factory (Brooklyn, NY; Mar. 12, 2010)
that inescapable feeling you are referring to, is that like when you hear something and you could have sworn you heard it before because of the nostalgic catchy quality? or is is like when you’ve heard a band exactly like said band?
great post by the way!
by paul on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 03.15 pm from the entry: The Novel Ideas - "The Sky Is A Field" - Borrow It
Whoa! I had no idea she was enegaged. You would never know with the way she behaves! Wow!
by art on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 09.48 am from the entry: Nikki Darlin and John McCauley: 1+1=1
This comment stream is so meta. Great review Kelly.
by chris on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 07.50 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
no prob. The whole album is excellent, combining some of the harder sonics of Los Angeles with the meat of his debut and obviously difficult to summarize in only 50 words… 
I’d say it’s on par with the debut, but better than Los Angeles.
by kelly on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 06.23 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
By the way, I really liked the mp3 posted. Thanks.
by Joshua H on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 06.17 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
WHO WROTE THIS...PUKE ! “WHO WROTE THIS...PUKE ! “Picture yourself coasting your bike past space funk palm trees, homeless harpists, vintage video arcades, electronic drum circles, and 60s psychedelic singers who’re waiting for the bus. Cosmogramma is kinda like that if someone suddenly tripped you just as you’re starting to enjoy the ride. But in a good way.””
by Joshua H on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 06.17 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
