Grand Archives | Bowery Ballroom | 6.13.2008
Grand Archives kind of look like Lumberjacks (skinny lumberjacks) and make gentle, harmony-laden music that would be perfect for maple syrup commercials. "Whether it's flapjacks, waffles or for the Master Cleanse, make sure your syrup is real Vermont Maple." I joke but I really don't mean that in a derogatory way and I guess I'm specifically talking about their song "A Setting Sun" which reminds me of CSNY's "Our House" which I feel like was used to sell pancakes (or coffee... it was Maxwell House, wasn't it) back in the early '90s. Grand Archives make great breakfast music.
MP3: Grand Archives - A Setting Sun (buy it from Sub Pop)
If you're unaware, this is Mat Brooke's new band -- he of Carrissa's Weird and then Band of Horses. I like their self-titled Sub Pop debut a lot. It is exceedingly pleasant but in the best possible way. And they're fun to watch too, good performers and, crucially, they nail the all-important harmonies. Plus they always throw in a choice cover. When I saw them at SXSW earlier in the year they did a medley of the Beegees' "I Started a Joke," the Zombies' "Care of Cell 44" and Gordon Lightfoot's "Sundown." At Bowery on Friday we got Sam Cooke's "Just Got Paid" which you might know from Cat Stevens, Jimmy Buffett or Johnny Kemp's versions of it, all of which were hits. Good show.
Grand Archives tour rolls on...
Jun 17 LOCAL 506 CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina
Jun 18 THE EARL ATLANTA, Georgia
Jun 19 EXIT/IN NASHVILLE, Tennessee
Jun 20 STICKY FINGERZ LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas
Jun 21 STUBBS JR. AUSTIN, Texas
Jun 22 THE CAVERN DALLAS, Texas
Jun 24 SANTA FE BREWING CO. ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico
Jun 25 PLUSH TUCSON, Arizona
Jun 26 CASBAH SAN DIEGO, California
Jun 27 THE ECHO LOS ANGELES, California
Jun 28 SLIM’S SAN FRANCISCO, California
Jul 13 SP20 FESTIVAL MARYMOOR PARK, Washington
I went to the Union Hall show Saturday. They were really good, and I was stunned by how spot-on the harmonies were.
They also joined the opening act Sara something to do a cover of "Delta Dawn" that was nothing short of magical.
Posted by: steve | Monday, June 16, 2008 at 11:27 AM