Slothpop | Flotation Walls |The Bonesetters
Radio Radio
January 8, 2011

[All Photos By Jedediah Johnson]

Anticipation was high for this event. Slothpop has been local-media darlings before they had ever began playing live. You can thank the buzz from the amazing tracks they housed on their MySpace page. I was fortunate to catch them at their first performance and even now I looked forward to this album release.

I was aware that there had been some changes in the band’s line-up, and I wasn’t familiar with the opening acts … but I was still ready from something special.

Chill Downtempo and House ala St. Germain kept me and resident photographer Jedediah Johnson company until the band gathered. Around the same time the Bonesetters took the stage, I headed downstairs to meet the members of Slothpop in a quieter setting.

By the time we came back upstairs, The Bonesetters were already in full swing. The vocal presence of the song they were playing was reminiscent of Josh Homme and the rest of the song had a Cake flavor to it. The trumpet player was blowing the horn in his right hand and playing keys with his left. He did both really well as his double-handed playing was one of the high points of my evening.

The next song was “Trigger-Finger,” and it was kinda bouncy with a little Stellastar feel to it. The set ended with a nice little solo piece leaving just the lead singer and his acoustic guitar.

Flotation Walls from Columbus,OH came on at around 10:15. I’ll try to be brief because I could easily fill the whole review with accolades for this group. This six piece was insane.

Let me start by saying that the four men in the group were dressed in yellow outfits that looked like they were four crew members of a space ship from a1950′s sci-fi movie.

As far as the sound, if Queen and Andrew Lloyd Webber had come together to make Rock Operas for Broadway, it would have been a little like this. I wasn’t around for the heyday of progressive rock but if it was always this dramatic and exciting, I have no idea why it died out. There were touches of Opera, Irish Folk, and Breakbeats done with keys, trumpet, stand-up bass, and a gong…in addition to the standard drums, electric, and acoustic guitar.

One particular point of interest was how lethargic the crowd was. It was more apparent because of the band’s theatrical presentation and dynamic sound. On multiple occasions, the frontman would leap off the stage and go as far as to dance with and throw an arm around a member of the crowd. But all they got was polite clapping after every song.

This was a recurring theme throughout the night. Maybe everyone was saving their energy for a wild after-party that I wasn’t hip to… Anyways, Slothpop took the stage, not too long afterwards.

They opened with “Gilgamesh” and the first thing I noticed was how tenderly Kristin handled the mic. Not to invalidate the years of practice behind her skill, but there’s something special about seeing a performer approach their craft as if they were born specifically for that moment. The song came to a close with a style that felt perfect for a 1950′s sock-hop.

Hearing “Leaping Over Books” live was a spiritual experience. The interplay between the pizzicato violin, cello, and guitar had a slight Jon Brion feel that made the venue feel like a scene in a Michel Gondry film.

“Dan’s Song” arrived with a groove that was authoritative. Despite this song not being a part of the album… this was the one that felt like it announced their presence more solidly than the previous ones.

“Dots and Squares” followed with its playful piano melody that had a soft Rag-Time flavor to it. I remember thinking that this would have been a perfect opener for the set.

“Kokoro” arrived with the force of a hurricane. It even got the crowd moving and shaking which was a first for the night. It also marked Lauren Eison’s only solo vocal performance during the breakdown. She normally supplies the violin parts and sings back-up, but her voice — washed in delay — was gorgeous and ethereal. It was an excellent contrast with Kristin’s deeper tone.

“One” came in and soaked the place with sound. Something about the tone of this song made it feel like it would have been perfect for closing out the set but it turned out to be the 3rd to last. The final song was “A Perfect Love” which perfectly melded Romanian flavored violin playing with guitars that sounded like they were playing in the style of Spanish Classical but through a vintage Surf Rock amp.

The progression that this band has undergone since I first discovered them is fascinating in both changes in the line-up, as well as a shift in terms of creative responsibilities. What began primarily as a vehicle for the lead singer has developed into something different. The band told me that they now share compositional duties which explains a lot. The changes this has brought to the music have been subtle and yet dynamic. The core sound is still in place but the arrangements have expanded to not only give each instrumentalist room to explore but also for them to bring in elements from their diverse musical backgrounds. Another beneficial aspect is that Andrew Malott is their producer/engineer in addition to being the bassist. Having him in house seems to add to the cohesiveness of the record since his technical judgments are in-line with the band’s creative vision.

The chemistry this group shows both as a result of the studio and on stage is amazing. Maybe the most exciting aspect is that with a talent pool this creative, they have plenty of room to take future songs in nearly any direction.