Classic rock never really goes away. It just goes into niche marketing corners until the more courageous young bands take it out and unwrap it. Love In Stockholm played a solid set of originals and classic rock covers to a very receptive crowd at The Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, Massachusetts last night. After a lovely opening set by the exceptionally strong voiced singer-songwriter Sarah Blacker, Love In Stockholm hit the ground running, beginning with a respectable version of The Beatles’ masterpiece “A Day In The Life.” Most bands wouldn’t have the courage to rearrange The Beatles, yet this band fearlessly began their set with their own rendition. Their solid musicianship and tight chemistry announced itself with every note and chord.
There was a “Raised On Classic Rock” theme to last night’s presentation, and the crowd in the comfortable Lizard Lounge were particularly receptive. There were young fans and older fans who would have been young during the classic rock era.
After “A Day In The Life” the band went into their own original song “West Virginia.” Drummer-vocalist Jesse Humphrey pumped out a serious classic rock drumming style, hard hitting, anchoring the four other players in one of those mule kicking powerhouse ensemble force numbers. Humphrey’s vocal harmony with guitarist Brendan McBrien on their piece “Hiding Photographs” was a beautiful reminder of a time when bands sang in harmony. Their voices were another layering of musical nuance while the rhythm section, guitar, keyboards, and saxophone locked into a groove so solid it could knock down anything in its path.
Humphrey’s naturally clean and sweet voice was perfectly suited to pop-rock tunes like their “27,000 Miles.” Their energy and their reinterpretation of classic rock idioms kept this music sounding fresh and new, even though it’s based on what their parent’s were listening to in the house when they were growing up. A second song off of their 2010 King’s Ransom CD, “The Buzzard,” swung into action a with a pounding from Humprhey’s drum set, a blast from the horn section, and the kitchen sink. They came at their audience with everything. Ebullient horns, swirling organs, and a guitar phrase that simmered like nobody’s business.
A newer song, “Wishing Well,” found Humphrey singing it with passion, heart while guitarist McBrien pressed out bits of a wildly progressive phrase. “Water” was another chance for McBrien and Humphrey to unleash their bright vocal harmony. Their voices were another layer of fun. Alongside the horns, organ, and persistent rhythm section, the chorus took the song into a higher level of musical communication with their crowd. It was refreshing to hear young players riffing as they were on guitar and organs while a lead singer belted out their original lyrics.
Love In Stockholm tackled a second Beatles classic. “Getting Better” found the five piece having fun with the twists and turns and the general pop-rock brightness of this. Keyboardist Evan Sanders, who also plays a mean trumpet, tapped out the song’s memorable piano line with a bounce in his step. Serving up this cover also showed that Love In Stockholm isn’t afraid to have people compare their originals to what the greatest band in rock history was doing when it was reinventing the genre 40 years ago. A brief version of their original “Beauty Fades” offered a sweet layering of keyboards and soft lilting vocals. It just blew by like a warm summer breeze, until they picked it up in the dynamics department to play a brisk, peppy, catchy section.
Love In Stockholm played a gymnastic rendition of The Band’s “Up On Cripple Creek” with Humphrey powering it through its mighty twists and turns. Bassist Alex Staley served up a thick, palpable low end line, pushing the song forward with mighty, funky thrusts from beneath the treble clef instruments. “Don’t Be Fooled” was an accessible soft serve of funk idioms. Light guitar chords, gentle organ swirls, and full vibrant vocals and horns made the song feel like something one could dance to. “My Bones,” from their latest self-titled album was a light but irresistible touch of keys. “Better Man” was another gliding sensation. The guitar and keyboard streamed straight on through, smooth enough for objects to slide down it.
An enthusiastic rendition of Elton John’s “Take Me To The Pilot” showed more of their hard rock influence and their interest in big hits from the classic rock era. It gave the five a chance to show their chops, bringing this soulful, twisty song to life.
Love In Stockholm encored with The Beatles’ “Don’t Let Me Down” and The Band’s “Ophelia.” They invited the very beautiful and highly talented Sarah Blacker back up to sing with them. The combination of talent was undeniable. Blacker’s girlish timbre is loaded with power, range, and dynamics, and her techniques run the gamut from sweet cools to chirpy vocal phrases to softer singer-songwriter solo acoustic work.
Speaking of Blacker, she was an able opening act. With her rhythm section in tow, she offered bossier versions of her folk-rock material. Her opening number “Revelry Of Heart” let her voice breather, carrying well over its thumping beat. The groove grew even stronger on “Pluggin Away” as her voice got sharper, her rhythm boys pushing it forward with heft in their quirky groove.
“In Waves” was a newly featured Blacker tune that she worked her way into with bright, shining coos. Able to do much with her voice, she stretched her timbre sharper, thinner, at once girlish and edgy. Her more lilting vocal on “Knock The Winds” rode the melody and thumping rhythm section groove to make you feel the singer-songwriter’s angst when someone pulled the carpet out from beneath her feet, putting a lot of emphasis on her song’s emotional core.
She put a tender vulnerability in her song “Shiver,” moving her rangy voice into middle territory between girlishly coy and folksy seriousness. Blacker went into her newer cover song, Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” with her beat driven acoustic guitar, playing a pleasant, understated melody. She used her vocal gymnastics without sounding pretentious, her spiraling coos sounding vibrant over sparse instrumentation. It was the way she filled the space with her voice over her two instrumentalists that filled her song with a full emotional experience. Hence, Blacker took her audience along on her journey through a soulful, musical landscape.
“Exhale,” another new tune, took its sweet time, moving easefully while her pretty voice just skated on the surface. Another highlight came when Love In Stockholm saxophonist Dave Carroll came up to perform Bob Seger’s “Turn The Page.” With a slight variation on the tempo, Blacker made the song her own, especially as she crooned over an altered sax line. Brief, brisk sax phrases gave it more zip than the soulful crawl of the larger than life original.
On “The Most Beautiful Thing,” Blacker stretched her voice into a brief falsetto. With the rhythm section beneath the vocal line in tight unison, the pair injected clever nuances without drowning out the voice and guitar. Blacker officially closed out with her tune “These Summer Nights,” a number that felt like a seasonal breeze with its forward motion. Called on by popular demand to sing another song, Blacker encored with “Sandpiper,” a tune marked by a flow of numerous single guitar notes swirling around her pretty voice, bright, shiny, and clear. Her words were hopeful and endearing, hope for people to see their dreams come true.
It was an evening of outstanding rock and outstanding folk rock at The Lizard Lounge in Cambridge last night. Perhaps Sarah Blacker’s trio will open for Love In Stockholm at other New England venues. Their “Raised On Classic Rock” theme played well with audiences of all ages.
http://www.loveinstockholm.com/
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