Truth To Power

U.S. Girls, a project of Meg Remy, has been getting buzz for their last album In a Poem Unlimited. Using a band during recording instead of splicing samples, amping up the funk, but keeping the biting feminist lyrics, it might be her breakout work. Ironically, it may also be her last album since she has been recording for a decade under this moniker. A version of the band was also touring and I got a taste of it at The Tranzac. Even at that inadequate location, it was clear this was next-level stuff.

With breathless accounts of sold-out shows for their US tour, I was excited to see them return home to play at venerable Horseshoe Tavern. James Baley was a good opener. With a full band including 3 backup singers, he strutted the stage and gave us smooth R'n'B with some lovely harmonies. The only negative was the overly long verses.

U.S. Girls set exceeded my expectations. Part live music, part performance theatre, Remy didn't really chat up the crowd or talked about the music. Instead she played song snippets and speeches between numbers to set them up. The large band kept the room dancing furiously the entire time with fat bass, tight percussion, and blistering guitar and sax solos. Pearly Gates with all 4 singers (Baley was a guest on a few numbers) harmonizing, dancing, and stomping feet is likely to be the best live song I'll hear this year.