words//stephanie cafarella
Pearly Gate Music – Gossamer Hair
There was no shortage of toe tappin’ and seasonally inspired music at the Middle East Upstairs, this past Friday evening. With the intention of going solely to see my favorite band of the moment, and leaving with a newfound admiration for another, saying that I had a good time would be an understatement.
The night kicked off with Pearly Gate Music, which is Zach Tillman’s (brother of Fleet Foxes’ drummer, Joshua Tillman) musical endeavor of unexpectedly epic proportions. From their soul bearing first song, which could have easily been compared to the emotional works of Dylan and Cash, to their last, of the same stature, PGM really impressed. They have a neo-psychedelica, indie folk vibe that turned me into a believer before even the second song of the set.
“Believer”, in this case, could evoke multiple meanings, most evident on the inconstant overtly Christian ballad, “Oh, What A Time!”. The lyrics allude to Jesus in a manner that could only be interpreted homosexually, “the only man I ever loved/died two thousand years before”. The song speaks about taking his sacred date out for drinks, witnessing Him oddly exposing some “holy gifts”, and walking him to his door at the end of the night. I have never before heard such beautifully rendered controversy.
The rest of the songs of the set stayed true to the frankly, breathtaking and raw vocals delivered by Tillman. (They played as a three piece last night but it’s not unlikely for the backup band to constantly vary.) Lip snarls and prolonged vibrating stutters were not sparse, but in fact character enhancing. Standout tracks were without a doubt, the stunningly emotional and apprehensive “Gossamer Hair” as well as “I Was A River”. The former achingly repeats “I know you noticed/my clumsy hands/run through your head of/gossamer hair”, the type of composition that could only be described as sincerely romantic and maybe even a little bit awkward, but in the most amazing way. The latter overflows with obscure promises set in inanimate objects. It ends with an unanticipated and melancholy “If I still loved you/I wouldn’t be free/if I still loved you, you know where I’d be”. Their self-titled album would easily translate between summer road trips and backyard barbeques as well as occasions of a more serene variety, and I suggest getting your hands on it.
The juxtaposition between Pearly Gate and the next act, might have been better adjusted with a tall glass of lemonade and a lounge chair. Brooklyn based band, Beach Fossils’ unfussy lo-fi chill-out worthy sound quickly transferred the crowd into a new realm of ease with each and every kaleidoscopic riff.
With the recent release of their self-titled LP, (and cassette, to much of my liking), Beach Fossils has been an auditory staple of mine during these sun-drenched days. With vocals buzzing with reverb and song titles that are as true-to-lyrics as they are simplistic and overall economical, listening to it repetitively is not just easy, it’s anticipated. Their four-piece live performance was just about as laid back and upbeat as I could have imagined it being, and that’s just the thing I love most about them.
They began their set with my favorite track, a slower paced, hum-worthy tune called “Youth”. Vocalist, frontman and founder, Dustin Payseur almost never exposed any blatant emotions, but I assume, with hazy lyrics like “I don’t know just what I feel, but I feel it all tonight”, there is really no need to. The specific lyrics weren’t written to be hanged on, but to supplement the summery melodies. Tracks like “Lazy Day”, “Vacation” and “Daydream” alluded to just that. The rest of the set included songs from the LP as well as a few new ones. Plucked guitar and danceable interludes reiterated the uncomplicatedness this band was based on. You can be sure that with whatever messy situations your summer brings about, Beach Fossils will be your bottomless icy beverage, pair of plastic shades and ticket to Chillville, USA.
You can pick up Beach Fossils’ new album on CD, LP or cassette tape from Captured Tracks, and I would even go as far as to say, if you’re only going to buy one record this summer, it should be this one. I look forward to what’s next from this little band that I foresee will soon be doing big things.
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To find out more about Beach Fossils, please check out their MySpace..
For Pearly Gate Music check out their, MySpace.
