Though I don’t wake up with post-show ink-stamped hands that often anymore, my current temporary tattoo is a souvenir from Owen Pallett’s performance last night at Baltimore’s Metro Gallery. He’s touring his latest, Heartland, and since a distinctively employed violin is a personal weakness of mine, I had to see how this guy did it first hand. Nitsuh Abebe, who turned me on to Pallett’s work in the first place, already paid the new album his compliments and, well, what he said. Pallett creates the kind of music that encompasses so much detail and subtlety you can’t catch it all live and so I’m now spending a rainy afternoon pouring over it on record, but here’s a stripped down live version of a track I loved during last night’s set.
Pallett’s show was probably the only reason I wasn’t too jealous when, elsewhere, my well-traveled husband spent his evening in the company of Jónsi’s tour for Go. If their route doesn’t cut through your town, you can still take a taste here. Just try and stop yourself from pounding your heel on the floor under your desk while you type.
And okay, since we’re already playing six degrees of Nico Muhly, I’d be remiss if I wrapped this post without checking in on Sam Amidon’s latest awesomeness, I See the Sign.
All those who have been asking what’s good out there and getting that blank look from me these past few months? Yeah, the stereo is back on, and this is the set list.
Excellent call on the Owen Pallett. He’s going to be here in San Francisco next week and I’m pulling every string I can to get out of rehearsal in time to see him. He’s completely redefined what I thought could be accomplished by solo looping performances. I actually made a special trip to the record store just to buy this album. How’s that for old school.
Thanks for the Owen Pallett link. I’ve actually been listening to Pallett for a while (since the Final Fantasy days) but I wasn’t really getting into Heartland until you prompted me to re-listen to it. I think the problem was that I normally listen to music on crappy PC speakers while I’m working. Heartland I think requires closer listening on a better stereo system. (Though I do wish he’d enunciate his lyrics more clearly; I agree with the Pitchfork reviewer on Heartland’s affinity with Joanna Newsom’s Ys, but at least you can understand what Newsom is singing.)
P.S. I also agree with you on Jonsi — love his new album (and also Sigur Ros in general) — but will have to acquire a taste for Sam Amidon (really sort of reacquire, as I burnt out on English and English-influenced folk music back in the days of Sandy Denny and Fairport Convention, Maddy Prior and Steeleye Span, Pentangle, et.al.)