Photo of the Day: November 27, 2009
Car Pushed Into Anacostia River By Train
Morning Roundup: Black Friday Edition
Devendra Banhart @ 9:30 Club
Saturday Thanks Don't End At Thanksgiving Photo: November 28, 2009
Written by DCist contributor Daniel White
Country music, more than most genres, provokes reactions in its listeners that are rarely ambivalent. You love or you hate country, and there seem to be few people that would earnestly argue a position in between.
Phosphorescent’s Tuesday night show at the Black Cat constitutes one of the strongest arguments for loving country music that this reviewer has ever witnessed. Essentially the project of lead vocalist and guitarist Matthew Houck, Phosphorescent has undergone a number of aesthetic reincarnations through the past five years, developing from ethereal low-fi rock on debut album A Hundred Times or More to the classic Willie Nelson covers of this year’s To Willie.
This show was a strong representation of the entire range of Houck and the band’s discography, but with an energy, volume, and general rock sensibility that doesn’t come through on tape. In short, this was Phosphorescent with balls. Starting out with some slower original tunes, including the heartbreaking break-up ballad “A Picture of Our Torn Up Praise,” Houck and company defined the Americana parameters for the rest of the show.
The middle of the set was a string of beautifully executed Willie Nelson covers from their latest album, culminating in a rendition of “Reasons to Quit” that Willie and Merle would be proud of. Though at times Houck would verge on a crackling whine that was almost (and tragically) reminiscent of Conor Oberst, he ultimately succeeded in channeling the brooding and remorse of Willie’s country without giving over to indie pendantry. His guitar helped a lot too: Houck evoked a mournful growl from what seemed to be a very old and very beautiful Gibson ES-125 archtop, which looked appropriately versed in the hard knocks of the road.
As the show progressed the tone and the tempo expanded, and by the end of the main set, Phosphorescent was tearing through roots rock in a way that would bring standing ovations in any west Georgia dive bar. The recent addition of pedal-steel guitarist Ricky Ray Jackson added exponentially to the remorseful atmospherics of minor-keyed ballads, and as a rhythm piece carried the central harmonies during Houck and lead guitarist Jesse Anderson Ainslie’s dirty solos.
Aside from some apparent electrical issues, the band seemed to enjoy themselves in the venue, and are a definite must-see in the future.
British-born Alberta Cross played a brief (1/2 hr.) but energetic opening set. Their debut EP, The Thief and the Heartbreaker, was an homage to ‘70s falsetto southern-rock ala The Band (lead singer Petter Ericson Stakee at times seems to strive to be an anglo Levon Helm). While Stakee's plaid shirt and Kentucky Volunteersman widebrim certainly fit the aesthetic mood of their earlier release, only two of the songs from this EP made it into the set. The rest of the set was devoted to material from their recent full-length, Broken Side of Time. This album is a marked shift away from the roots rock feel of their EP toward more standard rock major-chord progressions. All in all a powerful opening set which is sure to build their fan base.
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
that guy on the left lost his beard. maybe it's still in the red room or up front at the food for thought counter. poor guy.
next time say, "hi".
hi!
(why, were you there? i wasn't—i just felt like commenting for some reason)
Yep. I was there. A lot bigger turn out than I expected. Good for them.