Though they were born generations apart, there are many similarities between the music of fellow long-hairs Kurt Vile and Thurston Moore. Their emphasis on lyrics and lo-fi production make them perfect tour partners.
To the delight of their fans, the two have joined up once again after a summer of joint touring to promote their latest albums. The pair swept through Somerville Theater last Tuesday night and put on a solid performance.
With its wry, introspective lyrics and intricate guitar, Vile's most recent studio effort, "Smoke Ring for My Halo" (2011) earned glowing reviews and launched the Pennsylvania native into the public eye.
The key to Vile's music is its intense, overwhelming sense of intimacy. On recordings, he carefully and methodically layers his voice and guitar into delicate soundscapes. The effect is one of poignant sincerity, as the listener feels privy to Vile's personal musings and mumbles.
Unsurprisingly, this musical approach does not translate to live performances in any sort of conventional way. Like the shoegaze and ambient bands he is so frequently associated with, Vile's performances have a tender fragility. Tall, thin and slightly bow-legged, Vile looked vulnerable as he performed his minimally accompanied opening set. Despite his touring experience, he still seemed somewhat uncomfortable on stage. His fingers audibly stumbled a few times, and it was exceptionally difficult to understand what he was saying from beneath his trademark mane of hair.
Still, Vile put on quite a performance. If anything, his isolation on the stage highlighted the intense introspection and loneliness of his songs. He spoke very little, pausing only to tune and to note, "You guys are beautiful. I used to live here. And playing here, I saw some sweet shows."
Harpist Mary Lattimore joined Vile on his album "Smoke Ring for My Halo," most notably on "Ghost Town" and "On Tour." During the show, however, she accompanied nearly every song. Lattimore's minimal playing added a valuable element of complexity and melody to Vile's otherwise solo guitar playing. Their live rendition of "On Tour" stood out in particular, as it showcased Lattimore's music box-like harp playing and gave Vile an opportunity to focus on singing.
Vile occasionally missed the mark, but the songs he performed well were truly gorgeous. In particular, his rendition of "Runner Ups" mesmerized the audience. The performance's modest presentation highlighted his careful plucking and the song's rich imagery. "Baby's Arms" also stood out, as Vile dreamily crooned, "I will never ever ever be alone."
Sweetly, though somewhat abruptly, Vile's performance came to an end and the audience began to mill for the half-hour intermission.
Despite being 54 years old, Thurston Moore still rocks with the best of them, as he clearly showed during his set. With his lanky frame and boyish locks, Moore hardly looked older than 30 as he ripped into feedback-heavy solos and grumbled about how he could use a drink. His performance felt fluid and natural the whole way through and, despite the accompanying musicians around him, he maintained a strong presence throughout the show.
Like Vile, Moore is promoting a solo album he released in 2011, also through Matador Records. His critically acclaimed third album, "Demolished Thoughts," was produced by Beck. Unlike Vile, however, Moore seemed perfectly at home on the stage. He smoothly interspersed his songs with poetry recitations and frequent interaction with his audience, resulting in an engaging set that was musically compelling and surprisingly witty.
To the delight of the Sonic Youth fans in the audience, Moore also recounted a number of stories about his old band. During one exchange, he realized he had played in the Somerville Theater before:
"Sonic Youth played back in Somerville, back in the ‘80s. Do you know where that was? It was here? Damn."
With this knowledge, Moore recounted losing his temper and storming back to his band's van during his last performance at the Theater. He said he would try to "atone" for his behavior this time around, and it seems he did. The set flew by as Moore showcased his latest songs with accompaniment from Mary Lattimore, violinist Samara Lubelski, a drummer and a second guitarist.
Moore has consistently stood out as a solo artist, mostly because he has fully embraced his music as a separate entity from Sonic Youth. Rather than trying to make something new out of his old band, Moore has managed to meld a sort of alternative/punk vibe with instruments rarely found at a rock show. His musical pairings with Lubelski's violin are particularly impressive, as her vibrato adds a great degree of warmth and depth to his guitar playing. The group's throbbing performance of "Circulation" was an excellent example of this, as was "Mina Loy" (though Moore introduced the song as "Onyx Eyes" for some reason).
Moore's group also performed a lovely rendition of "Orchard Street," with Lubelski's violin once again in the spotlight.
