CMJ Music Marathon 2009: Clare & The Reasons @ Mercury Lounge

Clare & The Reasons; Josh Mease; Warpaint
@ Mercury Lounge
New York, NY - October 20, 2009

A very Indie-pop 2009 CMJ Music Marathon for Sonic Parthenon kicked off with the always very Indie-pop Clare & The Reasons though technically it kicked off with Warpaint and really, Clare and co. aren't really Indie-pop anymore by conventional definitions. The new Reasons record, Arrow, is something of a departure from the catchy and whimsical first LP, The Movie. It's a little more dense, relying more on instrumentation and Clare's vocals than the melodies and chimes of the prior record. In an interesting live-wise development, the band has been cut seemingly in half with the whole string section of charmers gone, and a laptop has been brought in for some minor backing track. The effervescent red scheme is gone too replaced with various casual displays of - surprise, surprise - singular arrows on each band member, and some fake woods-type display. But the spirit and mission of Clare & The Reasons are unchanged, and the band makes it work as it explores new ways and sounds.

Josh Mease is still the folkie-looking but Jazz-inspired artist he was back in January and the songs still have zip in all the right places. He'd be quite at home in Newport.

Warpaint are a California group that sort of tear it up at points but then take it low. Their drawn-out cover of the old classic "My Guy" was cute for the first couple minutes but wore thin for the remaining few minutes.

Clare & The Reasons @ Abrons Arts Center

Clare & The Reasons; Josh Mease
@ Abrons Arts Center
New York, NY - January 31, 2008

"Welcome to our recital. We've been practicing all semester", said Clare Muldaur Machon before her merry misfits played a thoroughly vexing set in the basement auditorium of the Abrons Arts Center, located in the nether regions of eastern Grand Street. The awkward confines of the performance space - a lil' auditorium with a tiny concrete floor - lent a charm to the proceedings. There was talk of performing songs from the upcoming second record but Clare relayed to us that her new songs were being threatened with murder by her old songs, in her dreams that is, so to play it safe they stuck to their usual set. Some sad news: "Can You Car Do That? (I Don't Think So)" will not find a home on the upcoming album. Alas, it will remain a live novelty, much like the car in the song.

Imporant footnote: I have a major crush on the cellist. Is that a cello she's playing? Whatever it is - the upright thing - her. Yeah. Major crush.

Josh Mease is a perfectly pleasant singer-songwriter who mixes Jazz, country, and blues all in the vein of M.Ward's laid-back campfire-on-the-beach style. And while he will probably be surprised to learn this, he should know that his natural, off-the-cuff in-between song banter is pretty darn funny. His debut album comes out in April.