Wye Oak + Pomegranates + Hands and Knees - TT the Bear’s (Cambridge, MA; May 14, 2009)

After hours of listening to outstanding and fresh music, I left TT the Bear’s feeling elated yet slightly depressed. Four fantastic bands performed that night, but few were there to bear witness. In fact, the fifteen total musicians made up about a third of the audience. Of course, Animal Collective had whisked away over 2,000 to the other side of town. And the Bruins and Celtics were playing pivotal playoff matches. And I admit, I struggled to stay out until one on a Thursday night, but I’m eight months pregnant. What’s everyone else’s excuse?

Enough whining. As long as artists produce excellent live music, melophobe will be there to promote it. At TT’s, Wye Oak, Pomegranates, Hands and Knees, and Mister Sister did their part, so here’s my part: earnest, gushing praise.

Locals Mister Sister opened the night, headed by the always lovely and charming Amelia Emmet. Part Zooey Deschanel, part Billie Holiday, Emmet’s languid yet powerful vocals and banjo can carry an entire set. Thursday night, however, the TT’s crowd was treated to a full backing band, which fleshed out Mister Sister’s rootsy folk sound. Supporting Emmet were four musicians who are collectively creating some of Boston’s best music right now: Mike Fiore, Elio DeLuca, Brian Rutledge, and I believe Eric Meyer on drums. If you see any of their music projects playing around town (melophobe’s concert calendar will highlight them), rush to see them: whether Faces on Film, Keys to the Streets of Fear, or Hallelujah the Hills.

Second up were Hands and Knees, another favorite local band. The first few times I saw them, their upbeat, raw pop sound instantly hooked me. Having just released their second LP Et tu, Fluffy?, Hands and Knees now sounds slightly more polished—a little less garage and a little more alt-country. From the stage, singer Joe O’Brien announced that the show was probably drummer Philip Ilatovsky’s last, so expect more changes in the future.

When Pomegranates took the stage, singer Joey Cook said that this show was a favorite on their four-week tour with Wye Oak, due to the excellent openers. Considering the members of both Pomegranates and Wye Oak spent the opening sets enthusiastically rocking out in the audience, I believe he was sincere. The band invited the crowd to join them on a “trip through outer space,” playing the majority of their new album Everybody, Come Outside. Like Hands and Knees, Pomegranates’ sound has slightly shifted with their sophomore album. Their debut Everything Is Alive is a perfect blend of twee and punk, especially on songs where Cook and Isaac Kerns share vocals (for example, check out “Thunder Meadow.” Cook’s adolescent voice and vulnerable singing offers a great contrast to Kerns’ guttural, raw vocals. The new material, though still pop, is not at all twee, but more psychedelic and contemplative—like a more stripped down Evangelicals. Highlights of the set included “Late Night Television,” “The Southern Ocean,” and “Everybody, Come Outside,” songs where the band let loose, clearly having fun, with Cook dancing around the other band members and drummer Jacob Meritt making goofy expressions behind his kit.

I was introduced to the three openers by seeing them open for more popular bands during the past two years. In each case, I was more impressed with them than the headliners and became an instant fan. Having only heard bits of Wye Oak before that night, I was psyched to introduce myself to them in the same way. Considering Wye Oak is on Merge Records (a favorite label), and some of my favorite music bloggers sing their praises, my expectations were high. Wye Oak did not disappoint. Despite dancing their way through the opening sets, band members Andy Stack and Jenn Wasner conserved enough energy for a rich and passionate set of their own. It’s remarkable how fresh and new their music is, considering how much Wye Oak reminds me of Cowboy Junkies and Mazzy Star. But more than a decade after those bands, Wye Oak sounds like nothing out there today. At least no current band matches their ability to balance intimacy, solemnity and reserved passion. Well, maybe Low, but again, their era was the late 90s. Look out for Wye Oak’s July release The Knot, and if you’re lucky enough to find tickets for the XX Merge Fest that same month, do not miss this band.

DOWNLOAD: Wye Oak - Take It In (MP3) or Follow us for more Wye Oak MP3s (Twitter)

Wye Oak review to your liking? You'll sweat:

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