By: Pat O'Brien
Sounding like they shot a crooked arrow through a few of the better indie bands from the last twenty years or so (fIREHOSE, Sebadoh, a bit of Superchunk with a small dose of ‘70s “classic rock” sensibility), Mandrew slowly built their set into a what could have easily been the soundtrack to a sunny Minnesota summer afternoon spent in your buddy’s backyard drinking beer and trading stories you both had heard a million times before.
The music was comfortable, broken-in and fun, even when it was being sort of serious. Led by singer, guitarist, and band namesake Mike Andrew, they sailed along with their shimmery indie-pop, throwing in a couple of curveballs along the way; Andrew played a 12-string mando during one song, an instrument that resembled a shrunken guitar with the neck cut off about halfway (“I have suddenly become a giant,” Andrew quipped). They also ended their set with a new, noisy, as yet unnamed song that looked (and sounded) promising for those of us who look for bands to move forward with their creativity, rather than copying what works ad naseum.
I didn’t want to think what I was thinking during Luke’s Angels’ set but it was hard to get past. They sounded like (and resembled-in gender organization, at least) Veruca Salt. But a really good version of Veruca Salt with some Wire and Let It Bleed-era Stones mixed in, as well.
Led by the Kalpin sisters, Jennie and Melissa, they mentioned that they had been in a state of flux recently but none of that shone through on stage. The music was tight, melodic and semi-tough, but had a feminine edge that had nothing to do with two women being in the band. The songs, though full of gruff hooks, were a little bit delicate in nature – almost pretty, I suppose. For some reason (I still can’t figure out why), they brought back a few awkward, long-lost memories of my high school days, like that one friend whom you love even when they tell embarrassing stories about you in front of complete strangers.
As the last notes of Deep Pool’s first song waned, it was hard to determine what exactly was happening. It didn’t seem pulled together but that was a grave error in judgment. During the second song it became quite clear that their drummer was holding everything together. Had he not been there the songs would have spun into a psychedelic/prog freakout. As it stood they sounded a lot like Yes with out the brain-melting solos or even the prog-rock itself, just the catchy riffs, mixed with Hüsker Dü, while the pounding bass and thundering drums glued it all in it’s right place.
They seemed a little older than the rest of the bands, and that’s when I was informed that singer/guitarist Jeff Kearns had been in local legends The Hang-Ups – which cleared up a couple of things, the least of which being the reason they were so damn good. During the third song a couple that was dancing turned into about eight people dancing, which quickly evolved into people getting up from their chairs and the whole floor in front of the stage sort of bouncing around for the remainder of the set, which made it pure, unadulterated capital-F Fun for a good forty minutes.
If Pavement had had a more streamlined, less jangly sound (and they shouldn’t have) they would be Duplomacy. That says nothing about Duplomacy’s allure, though. Sure, they do sound like Pavement (especially their later albums) but it was minimalist, more measured and quieter, with a unique stately quality, which made them seem more introspective and far less fractured while losing nothing in the charm department.
Lead singer/guitarist Andy Flynn channeled a bit of Stephen Malkmus but had his own presence and none of it never came across as a rip-off; it seemed more like a subdued nod to their forefathers. The music kind of lulled me into a trance (in a good way) but even so I felt alive, hyper-alert and sort of refreshed afterward, like someone had splashed cold water in my face.
In the near future, it seems like Duplomacy is going to head somewhere much larger than the fairly cramped quarters of the Hexagon, and it would be nice to have them go out into the world as ambassadors for Minneapolis. “We have CDs for sale--$49.95,” Flynn joked at the end of the set, but even if that had really been the case, I might not have thought twice about shelling out for it.
Location Info:
Hexagon Bar
Artist Info: Deep Pool, Duplomacy, Luke's Angels, Mandrew
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