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A Clientele Worth Knowing |
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The Clientele
Beach House w/Pipas
June 8, 2007
 The Clientele: Mel Draisey, James Hornsey. Alasdair MacLain  Multi-instrumentalist Mel Draisey's contributions sometimes got lost in the mix, though James Hornsey's bass work was a standout  The 2007 album "God Save The Clientele" is garnering the best reviews of the band's career  Beach House's Alex Scally on guitar, and Victoria Legrand on keys  Victoria Legrand and Beach House might have stolen the show from critical darlings The Clientele
6 Delancey St. (at Bowery)
212-533-2111
boweryballroom.com
It wasn’t until six songs deep into The Clientele's recent set at the Bowery Ballroom that they finally cut loose, but the audience didn't seem to mind the delay one bit. And though the crowd supported the change of pace with some scattered cheers, you got the idea that the audience was attuned enough to the evening's prevailing breezy pop aesthetic to handle an entire evening of low-impact melodic fluff.
Kicking things off was the melancholic jangle of "Since K Got Over Me" from their 2006 album "Strange Geometry." Clientele frontman Alasdair MacLean led the band through a polite and tuneful set based on the sweet, trebly warble of his finger-picked guitar against Mark Keen’s steady ride cymbal. For better or worse, the songs sounded close to the album's versions, mirroring the drowsy haze of their much-lauded new release "God Save The Clientele." The only real difference was the prominence of the bass, both in the mix and with bassist James Hornsey's placement at center stage. This might have been to reflect his strong playing, busy and melodic like an electric guitar, but still managing to hold down the instrument's traditional role as musical anchor.
The recent addition of utility player Mel Draisey helped fill out the sound a bit, although her contributions on violin and keyboards were for the most part buried in the mix, as if the Clientele were afraid to stray too far from the patented sound that their fans have come to expect. There was a moment, though, toward the end of the set where the song broke free of its constraints and rushed forward into a blizzard of Jeff Tweedy-style guitar heroics. Nothing amazing transpired with the solos, but just the idea of something more loose and unplanned helped liven things up. Even the band seemed to be finally enjoying itself.
Despite the hubbub surrounding the Clientele’s excellent new album, they were nearly overshadowed by the gentle hypnotic drone of Beach House’s sparse organ and drum combination. Following an unremarkable set by the English duo Pipas--accompanied only by an unseen drum machine--the Baltimore two-piece began with “Apple Orchard” to a level of rapt attention rarely attributed to an opening act. Singer Victoria Legrand seemed genuinely surprised and humbled by the warm reception, commenting several times between songs to appreciate the audience’s silent attention. And indeed it seemed that many in the audience were there as much for Beach House as for the headliner.
Their set was drawn equally from their self-titled 2006 debut breakout and newer material, which remained true to the reverb-heavy, arpeggiated keyboard sound of the older songs. The new songs distinguished themselves with sharper, more focused melodies that could very well form the basis of a solid second album. Much like the Clientele, Beach House seems to be staking a claim to a very specific sound, determined to wring as many great songs as possible out of their self-imposed limitations. One can either credit them for not overreaching or fault them for playing it safe, but either way, most everyone walked out onto the Bowery that evening feeling more than satisfied.
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MUSIC