Atlas Sound Lets It All Hang Out
Deerhunter's Bradford Cox didnt wear a dress and wasnt covered in fake blood, but he and his new band, Atlas Sound, were more than amusing on Sunday night at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. Cox, who was in a silly mood all night, thanked the small crowd for skipping the Oscars to come see them perform.
The set was looser than an 80 year old prostitute, seeming to go in any direction they wanted to take it, which sort of gave it the feel of an old high school basement performance. This is not a bad thing either. Some bands follow such a structured approach that they are unable to react and travel in the direction the crowd leads them in.
Midway through the set, Cox and guitarist Adam Forkner turned a joke about reverb sounding like leather and wood into an impromptu song about the same very topic. Cox joked that the song would be posted to his blog the following day. Just checked and its not there yet, but sooner or later he will post it.
Atlas Sound followed their new creation with 3 straight lovably-sloppy coversBlue Oyster Cults Dont Fear The Reaper, Grateful Deads Operator and The Breeders Cannonball. Each only lasted a minute, but had a very positive affect on the set and definitely won the crowd over, if they hadnt been won over already.
Later on, Cox rambled to us about the Oscar winners, The chick from Juno won something. Then Atlas Sound took us out to a field, and blindfolded us.
After our sonic musical execution, they left the stage and it seemed that they would not return. Adam Forkner then made his way back onto the stage, and acting as a military drill instructor, he cued the audience to cheer and demand for more. Forkner left the stage, and he and the rest of the band returned to the stage, topless, including bassist Honey Owens, who proclaimed, When youre pushing 40, you kinda have to let it all hang out sometimes.
As entertaining as they were, it took nothing away from the beautiful transcendent sounds that they created on the stage Sunday night, giving us plenty of pleasure in missing Hollywoods big circle-jerk.
Photo by [Jonny-Leather]