Chairlift, Apache Beat @ Union Pool
It was a battle of the killer female leads Saturday night at Union Pool:Caroline Polacheck of Chairlift and Ilirjana Alushaj of Apache Beat. Both have beautiful voices, though the similarities between the two acts (almost) end there. Chairlift is serious-minded, Portishead-style synth-pop. Apache Beat, serious-minded synth-punk. What that meant for both acts: a whole lot of wailing. Chairlift opened, playing their fairly minimal guitar/percussion/sample tracks, which are all taken to the next level by Caroline's voice. With her long brown hair and impassioned delivery, Caroline reminded me of Alanis Morisette or Annie Lennox (but only in the best ways possible!). One of the best songs of the evening was "Evident Utensil", which has a very "Like a Virgin" vibe. But my favorite was their last, "Make Your Mind Up", whose rhythmic guitar lines left open spaces for Caroline to belt, "You can make your mind up." You should listen to these and other tracks here, where mp3s are posted.
Apache Beat had the tough job of following Chairlift to close the night. While the five-piece (including guitar, bass, drums and keyboard) have the whole post-punk dance thing down, they still sound a lot like other acts out there. Ilirjana's voice, though, packs considerable punch, and during "The Western", a dark, moody track backed by heavy guitar lines, the crowd definitely got to grooving. Tribal rhythms are worked into a lot of their songs, including "Tropics", making them the punkiest addition to the spate of recent "world music"-influenced acts.
Comments
I'm kind of bummed to read that Apache Beat weren't better. What little of their's I've heard I mostly liked, but imagined it would really come together live. Oh well... Ben
Are you serious??!?!? Apache Beat put on an amazing show. The whole band was filled with adrenaline. Not to mention the drummer broke his finger during the first song but kept kicking it out! Now that's an utter rock pro!
You've got to be kidding with this post.... first off, Apache Beat don't sound like a post-punk band, if anything I hear kraut rock/eno sort of influences and even a couple odes to Sonic Youth and Steve Reich. Actually, I don't think they sound like anything going on in Brooklyn right now. Seems like when ever people like you don't know how to categorize something it's suddenly post-punk. This definitely ain't no disco dance party. Secondly, they didn't even play the western? Talking about lazy journalism! Apache Beat kicked serious ass and sounded great, especially their new songs. - Blogger #1, don't fray this is my second time seeing these guys and they deliver. - Both bands did a nice job and it was a good pairing. They complimented each other nicely.
Wow, Paula, sounds like your post got into the Apache Beat Cranky Fanclub Newsletter or something.
It's a cranky world, Nathan, what can I say? :)
What's cranky about what Banana Peel wrote? Just telling it like it is. I totally agree they put on a really great show. Their music is very refreshing to hear these days in a town filled with montony.
What was cranky about it were the misplaced tone of indignation and ad hominem attacks.
You folks are nuts, though I do agree about the labeling issue here. Why does everything always have to be "post" something? I've checked these guys out before and think the writer has definitely sold them short. But again, it's rare these days to come across good music journalism in the "blog 101" world. The description of Chairlift is lame too. Alanis Morisette? Where are the Douglas Wolk's?
Hey, Paula: don't let these fools get you down. At the end of the day, at least someone's reading your stuff, which is more than I can claim. :(
Regardless, I guess now I HAVE to see Apache Beat the next time they play.
... comparing Chairlift to Madonna, Alanis Morisette, Annie Lennox, and Portishead... is that a joke? Has the blogger gotten any new points of reference since high school???? (vocally, the girl singer is more beach house or fiery furnaces, but instrumentally they're somewhere between yeasayer and of montreal; oozy synth/soul/popcore. Okay?) plus, did anyone notice how fucking good looking they are? williamsburg does it again. apache beat was so-so, you didn't miss much, benjamin. i didn't really buy all the practiced mic-cable antics and emo vocals, and the set stayed at a dynamic plateau: relentlessly overplayed. their bassist is a fucking GENIUS though, holy shit.