By Eric Mahollitz
It was a good showing for a Wednesday night at The Frequency with Madison’s up-and-coming Jentri Colello opening up for Portland’s minimalist chamber-folk band, Horse Feathers. As the head of her local quartet, Colello led the audience through a brief, well received set, making the case for the recent Bird of Prey EP. Read up on her recent session as part of the ongoing 5 Question with Muzzle of Bees series, and keep an eye out for future Jentri Colello activities as they await their inevitable national discovery.
Horse Feathers, consisting of frontman Justin Ringle, cellist Heather Broderick and violinist Nathan Crockett, split their set between the recent House With No Home and their 2006 debut Words Are Dead. Many aspects of their music tap into roots rock and pastoral folk, but their production and songwriting are unmistakably modern. And, amazingly, the lack of a traditional percussionist is never felt in their songs as drums are replaced by shakers, the occasional saw and other atmospheric nuances. Ringle’s vocals, set louder in the mix than on the group’s recorded material, highlighted the juxtaposition between the bleak lyrics and bubbly rhythms. Swaying back and forth, his otherwise upright and stately manner exuded the pleasure he felt to be back in Madison, this their 3rd time in town. Broderick and Crockett played with a studied, focused precision as song after song was ticked off in quick succession. Notable tracks included back-to-back House With No Home highlights Working Poor
and Curs in the Weeds,
two songs that combine to show off the band’s subtle constructions and the too seldom addition of Broderick’s delicate whisper. Towards the end of the show, Broderick introduced a track that the group had never played live before. These are words that often have a polarizing effect on an audience, and what turned out to be Heathen’s Kiss,
off their latest record, was the crowd favorite, inverting their typical song structure with a mid-song lull and brilliant buildup to the grand finale.
Horse Feathers are currently nearing the tail end of their tour, finishing off the Midwest before hitting up the East Coast. Check out their MySpace page for specifics. Meanwhile, Horse Feathers historians can grab last night’s full setlist below:
In Our Blood
Finch on Saturday
Blood on the Snow
Working Poor
Curs in the Weeds
Mother’s Sick
Father
Albina
Walking & Running
Heathen’s Kiss
Rude to Rile
Previously: 5 Questions with Horse Feathers
Previously: 5 Questions with Jentri Colello
Myspace: Horse Feathers
Myspace: Jentri Colello
MP3: Horse Feathers – “Curs In The Weeds”
MP3: Jentri Colello – “Daisies”
Find more MP3′s at The Hype Machine or buy stuff from Strictly Discs | eMusic
