Parquet
Courts is an absolute must-see live band. Based on the band's
performance tonight everything is in place for the band to move
forwards and only get bigger and better. In fact, the show is 75 minutes of pure adrenaline fuelled modern Rock 'n' Roll. A big
thrill, there are few bands right now that can pack a punch quite
like this. It feels like the perfect modern take on the kind of music
that has long provided music fans with a buzz like the free-falling
part of the roller-coaster ride. It's messy and ramshackle and yet
effortlessly tight and executed.
The
band now has two magnificent albums (and a somewhat secret first
album that is just being discovered) from the past two years, and
most of the evening's tracks are lifted from recent long player
'Sunbathing Animal.' The whole album is played over the course of the
set, along with some of the highlights from previous and breakthrough
album 'Light Up Gold.'
From
the metronomic head shaking of the bass player and punchy punctuating
drums, to the two lead singers, who take turns across the range of
songs with both the vocals and the lead guitar parts. Both front men
are compelling in their own ways, as the bassist located in the
centre of the stage between the two guitarist/vocalists provides them
with the constant visible head shake beat.
Image-wise,
yes, the band does look like it just got out of college. They dress
that way, they are rather baby-faced and fresh, and they have that
youthful charm. Perhaps with a more fixed 'look' the band would be
bigger than it currently is, but that might ruin their appeal. They
are imperfectly perfect just as they are. But what they actually do,
vocally, with their axes, and with the songs throughout the duration
of the set is bowl over an audience, already in love with these
tracks from the records. As with any good band, the songs come even
more to life in a live setting, and this was a masterful and
energetic portrayal of those wonderfully charged songs. The truth is
that the extra zing live was like a punch in the gut. There are
elements of punk and stoner rock here, and the guitars certainly
remind of Television, Pavement, The Libertines and The Strokes in
parts, as well as other stuff. These songs are undeniably Parquet
Courts though, and the band has much to offer by way of originality.
Let's
look at the vocal deliveries of the two lead singers. One, on the
left from the crowd perspective, has a seemingly rubber mouth, that
can open and close at a stunning speed, wider than seems humanly possible as
words speedily force their way out, almost tripping over each other.
The dexterity with which he sings, sometimes punk like, sometimes
almost rapping, and others just pure rock 'n' roll is spellbinding.
His enunciation is truly unique and his spectacular passion for each
morsel of word and melody is magnetic. The other, the tallest member,
with his hair over his face, Jonny Greenwood-esque, on the right of
the stage, has a lazier delivery and his words are almost
indecipherable as he howls, screams, yelps and drops words at will.
It's a combination that is rivalled by the same two men swapping
guitar solos that are clear and sublime, drowned in feedback and distortion and odd
squealing, and really awaken the ghost of Television.
There
are short, sharp rock rides, there are long, stretched out stoner
tunes, and there are immense and well worked guitar solos that fit
the two kinds of aforementioned songs. They even have a couple of
almost ballads. So, there is variety too. Definitely not a one-hit
wonder, almost everything they touch is indeed lit up gold.
