Clare & The Reasons @ Joe's Pub

Clare & The Reasons
@ Joe's Pub
New York, NY - June 27, 2008

Deep, textured, extra lush pop music usually doesn't go hand-in-hand with words like "raw" and phrases like "stripped down" yet that is exactly what is going on in the world of Clare Muldaur and her band. This is one of those rare treats when one can hear pop music at its purest form, devoid of technological production in any way (well, except for some electricity used for the guitars, amps, and speakers but that's about it) and really come to appreciate it. This red bedecked ragtag group of mushy misfits conjure up elemental feelings and make you swim in them. Between Clare's giddy little voice (which on occasion approaches Billie Holiday, and no foolin'!) and the band's spit-shine polish, it really becomes one of those cliche cases where one can forget their troubles for a bit. Whether it is cute little musings like "Pluto", slightly more serious works like "Under The Water" and "Alphabet City", or goofball comedy numbers like "Can Your Car Do That? (I Don't Think So)", one understands why the band's record is called The Movie, since it feels like the soundtrack to some ironic, New York romantic comedy gone awry. Hilariously awry.

Oh, by the way, Clare & The Reasons may have saved a certain candidate for President. After a week of some dicey, somewhat shocking calls that alienated the candidate from his supporter here at SP, the band's rendition of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" with all the lyrics shelved in place of simply singing the name "Obama", conjured up all those gooey "it's the personality, not the issues" swooning that got this old schlub excited about the campaign in the first place. Oh so we differ on the death penalty, so what? What's a little major policy conflict when you got New York's best and brightest singing your name to the tune of the most famous movie song of all time? There's even a Kansas connection for pete's sake. Alright, all is forgiven...for now.