The Very Small - Model Stranger - Time Columns -- Velvet Lounge - Nov 16 2014

Time Columns - If you are a fan of the local band Buildings, you will want to check out this Frederick/Baltimore trio. They play an instrumental neo-prog style that is assertive and nimble with plenty going on. Early on, they go psycho crazy after a rather funky start. This deep dark noisy passage is something I hope they explore more. Even if they stick to their bouncy rhythms and tricky guitar and bass counterpoints, there is plenty to enjoy. I just like that King Crimson 'Red' sound that can break things up and really lift this to new heights. OK, call this post rock if you like that term, but there is plenty to rock out with here. Enjoy.

Model Stranger - This trio hails from Chicago. They start with a rather basic marriage of classic rock and indie rock, but thankfully their 33 minute set allowed them to show off a few special moves. The guitar sound varied smartly from a rhythmic grinding sound to a spacier psyche approach depending on the song. The bass kept things flowing, while the drummer varied the beats in subtle ways. They had songs with some pop hooks, although they could stretch them out into classic rock jams. The particularly soaring last number reminded me of Dust meeting Leafhound, which is a rather ungodly sound. So this was a fun and fascinating set from a band that is slippery yet with an interesting approach that yields some great results.

The Very Small - We are three for three with the power trios tonight, as this local band hits the stage. It's a little late for me as the equipment shifting was a bit onerous tonight. In fact, there is more equipment in the audience area than actual audience, despite a decent Sunday night turnout of a couple dozen or so. I rather liked their low key Amon Duul II opening jam as they were warming up before they exploded into their louder stronger music. This may be post punk meeting post funk as the basslines punch up the rhythm quite a bit. Good energy all around and some powerful three part harmonies are quite nice and unexpected. Some of the lead vocals are almost too edgy in a Suicide Commandos/Jell Biafra manner, but the music makes it a decent enough match as it is strong and challenging much of the way. Hope I can catch these guys again for more than a few songs. They are worth a listen.

Quote of the Night... from a recent F365 column: Aston Villa got a much-needed point at West Ham on Saturday, but no surprises that it was achieved through a 0-0 draw. It's now five goals in 11 league matches this season. The goals in their last seven matches read 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0. I think that's a binary translation of 'TEDIUM'.