Friday night we began our evening by going to the Cameo Gallery to check out showcase presented by Paw Tracks, the label run by Animal Collective.
After slipping through the Lovin' Cup and down the hall which leads to Cameo, we were met with the sounds of Drawlings, the solo project from Abby Portner, sister of AC's Avey Tare and a member of Rings. Portner makes delicate and deliberate loops of sound that mesh and intertwine like an intricate, vibrant woven fabric. It was a mellow and relaxed set—the perfect way to begin our night.
After Drawlings, former múm member Kría Brekkan took the stage. She fought a little bit with some feedback caused by her accordion's microphone, but her set was great nonetheless. The highlight was an a cappella rendition of the traditional English folk song "My Bonny Boy," with Brekkan's voice giving the tune a haunting, otherworldly feel. Brekkan dedicate the last song to people who had brought their fathers to the show, making us guess that her own father must have been in attendance.
Next up was Excepter, and the group raised the volume in the room by a few notches, splicing together hypnotic synth and drum machine loops with percussion, eerie screams and singing that often came across as a stream-of-conscious mumble. The band's music fluctuates, bubbles and slips, but when it hits its stride, it is superb. Luckily, Excepter hits its stride often, and their set was a satisfying next step for the evening.
We finished out our time at the Paw Tracks showcase with Tickley Feather, the lo-fi project of Annie Sachs. Her songs come into better focus when transformed from fuzzy four-track recordings into live tunes. Sachs, who was accompanied by guitar and keys, revealed a carefree stage demeanor, bobbing to the beat and occasionally miming along with her lyrics. On top of that, her voice was crystalline and ethereal. Dress up the production and Ms. Sachs might sound quite similar to Cocteau Twins' Elizabeth Fraser. But the misty, swirling lo-li sound works for Tickley Feather, so we're happy with things just the way they are.
After Tickley Feather we headed over to the Monster Island Basement, where the CSC Funk Band was in the midst of bringing their psychedelic funk grooves. Former USAISAMONSTER guitarist Colin Langenus appears to be the groups de facto leader, and his guitar riffs ripple through the rest of the large ensemble. After CSC came Sam Mickens' Ecstatic Showband and Revue. We've seen Mr. Mickens and company a few times now, and they just keep getting better. Drummer Mike Pride is always a highlight, and the rest of the band, which includes an impressive and talented horn section, was just as solid. Ecstatic indeed.
CMJ is coming towards its end, and we've had a great time checking out as much music as we can. Go to the Eardrum CMJ Calendar to see all of the shows happening today (CMJ's final day) and wrap up your music marathon right!
