It used to be the Dave Longstreth show. His previous albums featured a rotating crop of different musicians, all circling around the frontman’s not-so-disguised madness. The Dirty Projectors’ seventh album (and best), Bitte Orca, finds stability in a group of solid musicians who can keep up with the Yale-grad. These were the musicians Longstreth brought to Terminal 5 Saturday night (9/11). Not only did Bitte Orca sparkle live, the rest of the band’s old material was given new life. That’s not to say Longstreth’s corky yet soaring vocals weren’t the highlight.
Dirty Projectors started their Terminal 5 show with “Fucked for Life,” a single off their 2006 EP, New Attitude. Fast-paced and stunningly harmonized, it’s very typical of the band, and sounded amazing live. Longstreth’s voice battled beautifully with Amber Coffman’s high-pitched but perfectly tuned coo. The two distinct, yet complimentary voices, seem to make peace near the end.
“No Intention” came next. “The renegade feeling satistfied,” sang Longstreth, taking his time. His voice is one of the most unique out there, smooth and lyrical yet completely conversational. For a song that, at points, teeters on experimental, it is indescribably sweet. Maybe it’s the steady drumbeat. Maybe it’s the simple guitar. More likely it’s the songbird harmonies, Longstreth backed by Coffman and other Projectors-regular, Angel Deradoorian.
Coffman and Deradoorian led the band into “Knotty Pine,” a single the band did with David Byrne. Unfortunately, Byrne did not make an appearance. But the band’s energy made up for it. They were dancing all over the stage to the upbeat, almost tropical-sounding song. It was hard not to. This was one of the only songs that got the sold-out crowd moving (granted, there was very little space). Just like all of their songs, “Knotty Pine” was a combination of many detailed arrangements and off-beat rhythms.
The band strayed several times into Bjork territory, playing several songs off their collaboration, Mount Wittenberg Orca. Once again, the guest-star was absent. However, Bjork’s presence wasn’t as overwhelming. The songs still sounded like Dirty Projectors’ originals. “No Embrace” was a pseudo-lullaby that took a minute to get going. It’s one of the few songs that won’t grab you on the first go-round. That’s probably why it wasn’t a crowd favorite. “Beautiful Mother,” however, showed off the girls’ voices beautifully. Coffman’s voice took on an opera quality, drifting impossibly high. Combine that with several surprising changes in tempo, the song was infinitely engaging.
Back to Bitte Orca, the band played “Two Doves.” The song is a nod to the band’s folk roots. Deradoorian took center stage as the lights were lowered. She wooed the crowd with her lovely vocals, whispering at times, “Call on me, call on me, call on me.” Full-on lullaby, it was a smooth break from the band’s off-centered melodies.
(via Brandnew1100)
The band continued with more Bitte Orca favorites, namely “Temecula Sunrise” and “Stillness is the Move.” These songs both feature lots of bizarre melodies, key changes and all-around difficult-to-keep-up-with-beats. When listening to the record, they can sometimes be hard to follow. Live, however, they are superb. “Temecula Sunrise” ascended very slowly, breaking just at the end into a ballad of sorts. The guitar got funky, and Longstreth let his voice run wild. It was slightly different than the album version, with a few of the harmonies tweaked, allowing Coffman to really show off her range.
On “Stillness,” the band forays into a pop groove. Recorded, it takes a few listens to get down with. Live, it just does something to you. “On top of every mountain/there is a great longing/for another even higher mountain,” sang Coffman and Deradoorian while practicing a nice synchronized two-step. The vibe was contagious and the crowd followed suit. The song is best described as impossibly catchy.
The band also played “Imagine It,” from New Attitude. It can only be described as a psychedelic ho-down, with all the guitars going at once in no particular pattern, with no particular goal in mind. It was very busy, and not particularly enjoyable. But hey, that could also be attributed to the seizure-causing red lights that were flashing in the background.
They ended the show with “Rise Above,” from (go figure) Rise Above. It was a more appropriate end to the night than the penultimate song, “Useful Chamber,” an annoying vocal exercise from Bitte Orca. It was pitchy in an unpleasant way and this effect was magnified live. However, “Rise Above,” hit all the right notes, rising and falling pleasantly through the finish.
Kathrine Bonacorsi