But Really, I Just Want to Slide

So as I said before, I went in to the 9:30 Club last night with an open but still slightly pessimistic mind about seeing (and enjoying) Okkervil River and The New Pornographers. After a quick bite during our first ever visit to Nellie's Sports Bar (First impression: Thumbs up!) Ms. Smith and I got there fairly early and secured a spot dead center, about three people back.

Unlike when I saw them in 2005, Okkervil River really impressed me. I have a hard time listening to their recorded work (it's soo S L O W), but it's much easier to connect to the band and lead singer Will Sheff in a live setting. We he gets those far away eyes and his voice cracks on the high notes, you're there with him. I feel disconnected to him listening to the CD. They started out strong and faded in the middle of the set with some slowies before picking it up again at the end. They sounded great even though you could tell they weren't used to playing venues so big. When Sheff was pitching back and forth on the stage it looked like he kept expecting to bump into another band member, but he hadn't accounted for the extra few feet of space everyone had. My only complaint was they didn't play the two songs of theirs I really like, "No Key, No Plan" and "Last Love Song For Now," but that's nitpicking. So yeah, I finally "get" Okkervil River.

Unfortunately the same cannot be said for The New Pornographers, even with Neko Case in tow. I tried, I really did, but all of their songs have the same tempo and feel really samey to me. This group should be right in my wheelhouse, but I just don't get it. I will say that the harmonies between A.C. Newman and Neko sounded brilliant, I just couldn't hear any hooks in the tunes. To make matters worse, there really is no "show" to speak of with this band. Neko just stood there and stared at the floor when she wasn't singing. Newman did little more stand behind the mic or walk back to the drum kit with his back turned to the crowd. And he had his eyes closed the entire time he was on stage. We left after 7 or 8 songs and headed down the street for a beer.

[mp3] Okkervil River | Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe
[mp3] Okkervil River | The President is Dead

[mp3] The New Pornographers | Myriad Harbour
[mp3] The New Pornographers | My Rights Versus Yours