By: Andrea Myers
Two extremely talented opening acts paved the way for Reticence at the CD release party for their debut album ReMedial at the Triple Rock Social Club.
The first act was Bill Mike, an energetic performer who is becoming a staple of the local music scene. Bill Mike performed with his band, drummer Steve Goold and prolific bassist Chris Morrissey (Mason Jennings, Haley Bonar), and the trio formed a tight unit of deliriously fun hyper-rock. The band was not only interesting to listen to, but were fun to watch visually; Mike is stiff and jolting as he hops around, frantically strumming his electric guitar, while Morrissey and Gould project their intensity with contorting facial expressions and almost spastic convulsions.
Mike played songs primarily off of his new release, Better News, a collection of tight rock tunes, which features his high, soaring voice that reminds me at times of Chris Perricelli of Little Man. The band burned through an excellent set while a decent sized crowd began to gather around the front of the stage.
Next up was Cloud Cult, another local favorite and forceful live act. Led by frontman Craig Minowa’s sheepish and soft-spoken vocals, the band puts out a sound that is at once sensitive and dynamic. Cellist Sarah Young adds depth with her sorrowful accompaniment, dancing with Minowa’s guitar and electronic keyboard effects like a streak of blood-red paint across a canvas of pale pastels.
Speaking of streaks of paint, the Cloud Cult performance was once again accentuated by the presence of two live-action painters, a riveting portion of the show in which artists complement the music by interpreting the sounds into aesthetic pleasure. Much like the Electropolis show earlier this week and the Spaghetti Western show before that, it seems that multi-media performances are becoming all the rage these days, and Cloud Cult is following suit.
As per usual with lesser-known bands, the crowd started to thin out by the time Cloud Cult wrapped up their set and it came time for Reticence to take the stage. Perhaps because of the audience’s departure, or maybe because they followed two extremely strong and established bands, the members of Reticence appeared shaky and visibly nervous in performance.
After listening to their new album, I had high hopes for Reticence; especially after listening to what is, in my opinion, their best song titled “Up Up Down Down.” The song features clever lyrics and a delightfully geeky chorus that capitalizes on the good ol’ days of sitting down at an original Nintendo gaming system and hacking through classics like Mario Brothers and Zelda. On the record, lead singer Jesse Norell’s voice is quiet yet pleasing in a near-emo fashion; in live performance it translates as just plain quiet.
For those unfamiliar with the term, the word “reticence” is loosely defined as keeping to one’s self; a form of introversion. In a way, it makes perfect sense that the band chose this name, as they appear uncertain of their future and convey the attitude of a person who is exposing their inner thoughts for the first time.
In many ways, the debut album by Reticence could be an interesting purchase for indie rock fans. Norell’s voice floats over the mellow rhythms of band mates Kristof Marden (bass) and Kyle Bonderson (drums), and the songs are soft enough that they are fairly accessible at first listen.
For the rest of us, though, here’s to hoping that gaining experience on stage and the confidence that comes with exposure will turn this shy band into the powerful act that they are desperately striving to become.
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Location Info:
Triple Rock Social Club
Artist Info: Bill Mike, Cloud Cult, Reticence
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