LCD Soundsystem Still Have the Edge
It was a good vibe in the Roxy. A wide range of ages were on display, including a surprisingly large percentage of Gen Zs in attendance.
It was a good vibe in the Roxy. A wide range of ages were on display, including a surprisingly large percentage of Gen Zs in attendance.
Across this project, Shaw demonstrates both experience and skill in his songwriting and musicianship, having performed music professionally for half his life. Bringing in talented vocalists like Kay has proven to be a winning strategy.
Performing “Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want” on acoustic guitar was pure magic, as not a single soul in the arena was quiet; everyone there could easily be credited in the liner notes as “backup singers.”
Pecking away at what sounds like a kid’s xylophone, Gonzalez has simplified a well-written tune into an ode to his bride, we’re assuming (raise your hand if you married up, too).
The man’s had a rough couple of years, mainly caused by the dissolution of his 10-year marriage to Amanda Shires. Given that many of his songs have been inspired by or about her, one might wonder how he can still perform those lyrics.
The band ran through all 10 tracks from ‘Trees & Screams,’ adding something from each of his prior solo efforts. Known for his deep dive of covers from favorite artists, Hood did not disappoint.
He’s Dylan and Kurt, Tom T. Hall and Fogerty. He is John Prine and Mick. Check out his covers as he breathes new life for a new generation into many of these artists’ classics.
The songs on ‘Foxes’ could be interpreted with different muses as the focus. But that’s the beauty of Isbell’s songwriting—like all great artists, he leaves space for listeners to find their own meaning and emotional responses in the gaps.
The rockness of “The Van Pelt Parties,” backed by Asheville’s own Wednesday (Hood’s current favorite band), is immediately evident. His history with DBT has caused fans to attempt a label. Not that easy, as they veer from rock, into country, folk, Americana, and more.
Just four days on from the 2024 general election, Hood is holding up that mirror to our society again, as he did back in 2001. It stings even more today than it did then.