The Fresh & Onlys - Quilt - Shark Week -- Red Palace - Nov 9 2012

Shark Week - Unfortunately due to some serious cat issues, I am having difficulty getting out as much, so I only caught the last half of the last song by this fine DC band. Fortunately, I have caught them recently--reviewed here. Based on the roaring closer, little seems to have changed. This is definitely a band you want to see. And for once, I was the late one squeezing into a substantially filled room, so I am sure they made some new fans tonight.

Quilt - From Boston comes a trio that features three voices, one female, who also play guitar drums and a second guitar with some switching to organ. They immediately establish some light trippy pysche-pop with a crisp beat and cool harmonies (icy at times although it warms considerably). They kind of remind of Galaxie 500, but I should say Damon & Naomi as I know their music more. These three touch on only the lightest of the psyche nuggets, but manage to create a smooth pool of irreverent bliss. They keep the breaks short which keeps their musical world strong and flowing. They amped it up a little toward the end, but in a subtle manner. The finisher with double finger picking parts was excellent. This is a young band and good things await.

The Fresh & Onlys - This San Francisco 5-piece has had a firm grasp of their intriguing sound for a few years on the scene. Thankfully, they tour the country to head our way and provide over an hour of fascinating new-psyche rock music. They have the rhythm section, a keyboardist, and a couple of guitars with one of them handling the vocals. The vocals have a droll, yet poppy quality and his range is substantial and intriguing in how he uses it. He does not sound exactly like Howard Devoto, but I just get a sense of a more modern Magazine type sound here. There are swirling psyche guitars, some jangle with tough stready and quick rhythms. This smart music with great feeling. It balances many styles with both finesse and power, while keeping a hook oriented basis in tow. When you have a band that is slippery and hard to describe, yet has the hooks, you have an excellent band that will be playing an even bigger club the next tour through based on the excitement generated tonight in this nearly full club.

Quote of the Night - From The guitarist/vocalist of the Fresh & Onlys after some monitor adjustments...
"Should we sound check now?"
Crowd: "Guitars up!"
...pulling his guitar up from waist to chest "like this?"