Thursday, March 29 2012 9:00 PM
21+ $14.00
Lincoln Hall
Bowerbirds' debut album, Hymns for a Dark Horse, was nearly one hundred percent focused on the thesis that the earth is a sacred place with merit beyond us, and that humans are just visitors here. Its contrapuntal harmonies documented a moment in the life of the songwriter and the life of the band — Beth Tacular and Phil Moore living in an airstream in rural North Carolina, building a cabin of reclaimed boards by hand in the woods — but did so without, as far as we could tell, delving into their lives at all. The songs were interconnected, both musically and thematically, a musical whitepaper of the very best, most listenable kind.
So it was a big surprise when we heard the songs collected on Upper Air. They have not abandoned their worldview from Hymns, but the lyrics are no longer just observational. These are songs written from a personal place, examining the contradictions inherent to a conscious life, and this emotional depth makes for an undeniably powerful collection of songs.
The most notable part is this: The songs don't hide behind the instrumentation, the deontological conviction, or, frankly, anything; and that is what makes Upper Air undeniable, simple, and breathtaking.
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