The week’s just begun and you have four long days left before the weekend rolls around again. After a full day at work, a large part of you just wants to get home and jump into bed, but somehow your feet carry you down to the Knitting Factory for Gothamist’s seventh Movable Hype show. As band after beer after band goes by you remember that the only reason you’re working is so that you can afford an apartment, some food and most importantly the tickets that got you here (only $8 last night!). You’re having a great time, on a Monday none the less! Afterwards, you’re so re-energized that you run home and stay up all night to write your first concert review and share the experience with the rest of the world. Well, that’s my story anyway. But you’ve gotta love Monday night concerts. Especially with a lineup as good as this.

Stars of Track and Field started things off nicely. Their shoegaze-ish, enveloping sound held my attention, but now and again I’d scan the far corners of the stage for the bassist, who was never to be found. All of their bass parts (and some of their drums and keyboards) are recorded. While their overall sound is nice and full, their live show felt understandably rigid as the drummer played along with the recorded material. I love when bands use digital technology to create digital sounds, but using it for half the band’s instrumentation is risky. Luckily for Stars of Track and Field, their stage presence and musicianship kept me focused on the human elements of their sound.

Stars of Track and Field - Movies of Antarctica (Live at the Knitting Factory).mp3

Second on the bill was Montreal band Land of Talk. They were a little bit preoccupied with the monitor mix for the first few songs, but once they got comfortable with the sound and paid attention to the crowd they put on a very enjoyable set. Lead singer Liz Powell’s voice reminds me a lot of my favorite North-of-the-Border vocalist Leslie Feist and the chords she utilizes are not your run-of-the-mill power or bar variety. Her energy seemed a bit low, but we learned that it was due to the two grilled catfish that she ate before the show. Chris McCarron’s bass is clean, precise and creates an interesting dichotomy alongside Liz’s jagged guitar. Sign up to see Land of Talk when KEXP comes to NYC.

Land of Talk - breaxxbaxx (Live at the Knitting Factory).mp3

Cloud Cult put on my favorite show of all 2005 when they played the dingy 169 Bar during the CMJ festival. Now, more familiar with their catalog and more sober than I was last September, I was afraid that I might be expecting too much from them. They answered my worries with a perfect setlist and great performance. They played a bunch of songs the crowd wanted to hear from their amazing album Advice from the Happy Hippopotamus and a few older songs which prompted me to pick up a copy of Aurora Borealis. They also played two or three new songs which has me anxious for the next release. Sonically, I felt that the elements of the music were sometimes disjointed and unbalanced, for instance the drummer’s vocals were often louder than Craig’s and the cello was too present in the mix from time to time. But with all the sonic madness created by Craig and Co., they must be a difficult band to mix.

On stage, they look a little disjointed as well, but in a charming way. Frontman Craig Minowa dives between keyboard/sampler, guitar, an array of pedals and his microphone while bassist Matt Freed pulls of a perfect hard rock swagger. Cellist Sarah Young exudes the confidence and poise of a highly skilled musician who makes everything look ridiculously easy and drummer Dan Greenwood plays with a varied array of sticks and styles, making each song sound like it uses a different drumset.

The first elements of the album which stand out in my mind are the unique sounds and skilled yet raw production, but tonight I was reminded how amazing Cloud Cult’s lyrics are as well. Car Crash is a terrifyingly sad song that at the same time will light a fire under the ass of anyone who feels like they are just floating through life or taking their relationships for granted. “In the middle of a car crash you told me you loved me/With keychain wedding rings, what do you say we get married?/There’s so much more we wanted to do”. Transistor Radio is another fantastically crafted song whose lyrics and music could each stand tall on their own, but are absolutely perfect when combined.

My only gripe is that the DJ started playing music as soon as Cloud Cult left the stage, quelling the crowd’s call for an encore. That might have been discussed and decided in advance though. I suppose they were on a tight schedule because of the upcoming “late set” from The Slack Republic (whom alas, I could not stay for) but this was Cloud Cult’s show to headline. I’m sure that it didn’t bother the band at all, since they didn’t seem prepared to play another song, but a true encore shouldn’t be expected or planned out anyway.

Do yourself a favor and pick up Advice from the Happy Hippopotamus if you have not done so already. Don’t be thrown by the somewhat odd cover (which has been actually been revamped for the current pressing). The album is incredible from start to finish. And if you’re in New York City you can catch Cloud Cult play an acoustic show Tuesday the 18th at Piano’s (upstairs, free, 7:30pm) and on Friday the 21st at Arlene’s Grocery with the Undisputed Heavyweights (8pm).

Cloud Cult - Transistor Radio (Live at the Knitting Factory).mp3

Cloud Cult - Happy Hippo (Live at the Knitting Factory).mp3

Gothamist’s Recap
Some pictures at Waved Rumor
Daily Refill’s spot-on review.
Brooklyn Vegan’s review and pictures.
Great review and more praise for Advice… at heartonastick

Thank you Gothamist for putting on such a great, inexpensive show and thanks also to Brooklyn Vegan for introducing me and so many others to Cloud Cult.