It was a great night for music and mingling last night at Idiot Glee’s album release party, hosted at Glasslands. It was also the second time this week that I was there early enough to catch all the openers, and was glad I did. For those that got there late, you missed out. I have to say that aside from Idiot Glee, the surprise standout for me was the first band, The House Floor. They seem to be a pretty new band, based in Brooklyn, and although Brooklyn is teaming with bands I think these guys have a little sumthin’ sumthin’ that should garner them some more attention in the coming months. Mainly, they’re super fun to watch.
When they went on, it was like they went from soundchecking to playing for themselves before they realized people were watching. “Have you guys been here the whole time?” the singer asked after the first applause. Granted, there was maybe a total of 15 people in the entire venue at that time, but they played as if it was a packed house. They’re songs are extremely catchy, and on tunes like “Tyrants!” and “Makers of Taste” they make use of strategically shifting tempos to keep things dancey and interesting. The bassist got down and danced around like a punk guitarist, and on the last song the whole band freaked out and rocked it.
Seapony was much more subdued, taking the energy back down with their hazy dreampop lazy summer day sounds. If their name is supposed to reflect that they sound like an underwater trot, every once in a while breaking into a canter, then it’s right on.
Holiday Shores was next, who I last saw open for Tennis at Bowery Ballroom. The lineup was a little different, and this time frontman Nathan Pemberton predominantly played keys, only picking up the guitar for a couple songs. The rest of the guys did some instrument switching as well, and for one song the rhythm section had some dueling bass action, creating a bob and weave counter-melody under the synth and vocals. Way to keep it fresh, guys.
Finally, the man of the night, James Friley of Idiot Glee took the stage. He regaled the crowd with his deep voice over vintage samples and vocal loops, all the while adding original synth sounds for shimmery pop embellishments. Friley is in his early twenties, but he has a knack for combining classic pop songs with his own compositions. In doing so, he breathes new life into the old sounds and transforms them into fresh, ear-catching creations. If you really listen to the songs carefully, there’s a lot of great stuff going on.
Holiday Shores came back onstage to join in for some tunes, filling out the sound even more while Friley made sure all knobs and levels were balanced properly. He also made all this multi-tasking look completely effortless, with a sort of southern nonchalance while flowing through his set impeccably. He ended on his brilliant cover of Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine.” Simply striking.
The House Floor has no upcoming dates listed, but I’ll be looking out for them. Seapony is playing a show tonight at Bruar Falls, and tomorrow at Pianos, as part of Northside Festival. Holiday Shores have a Northside Fest date as well, at Public Assembly on Sunday. Idiot Glee gets to hang out in New York a couple days before heading to Canada, then back through the Midwest. I highly recommend checking him out, and grabbing yourself a copy of Paddywhack.
