Hallelujah

I went to The Garrison Wednesday night for an installment of Wavelength, the long-running music series. First up was instrumental psychedelic rock outfit The Riderless. Playing extended songs (their entire set consisted of 2 tunes) full of repeating arpeggios and scales, atmospheric chords and synth, this music can be hypnotic. But for all their experimentalism, the reliance on the typical rock vocabulary made it ultimately tedious music.

Next was Fiver, a side project of alt-country One Hundred Dollars' singer Simone Schmidt. Unlike her pseudo solo turn with Evening Hymn, she was backed by a full band tonight (her newest country band The Highest Order is my guess). It was lusher, almost danceable, with a touch of country. But the lyrics to songs like Calm and Collected were too weary and resigned to prompt much bopping (though some tried.) To that end, she debuted a bluesy number where she roamed the stage, sounding like a modern Peggy Lee.

From Montreal, The Luyas came to play in support of their new album Animator. Backed by slide guitar, synth, effects, and an occasional tuba or french horn, guitarist/singer Jessie Stein sang in a high girly voice. Instead of the typical 4/4, they played a variety of odd time signatures anchored by a very impressive drummer: precise and accomplished. This gave their music both a propulsive strangeness and a welcoming invitation. This was music you could dance too, and yet introduced you to unusual sounds and rhythms.