The Black Canary w/ Afternoon Naps, Black Swans - Ravari Room, 4/18

The Black Canary is one of those Columbus bands that seems to be consistently on the cusp of notoriety but still manages to fly under the radar, despite having some pretty great songs. There are reasons for that, though.

For one, the band isn’t exactly prolific. The Black Canary formed in June of 2006 and released a single, creating buzz that landed them a spot on a CMJ sampler CD and a slot at last year’s CMJ Music Marathon. But that’s all the band put out until Friday’s rescheduled release show at the Ravari Room (the original was snowed out in March). The new seven-inch single, “Vampire,” was given away for free at the show and is also available as a free download on the band’s Myspace page (and below, for ease).

So after about two years, there is still no debut album from the Black Canary, though singer David James promised a full-length in September. With that release history, the band shouldn’t have been too surprised at the sparse crowd.

But what made the show worth covering, and what makes the Black Canary worth listening to despite its spartan output, is the band’s fresh take on ’60s psychedelic pop. It’s a style the band has made all its own, setting it apart from most Columbus bands. The songs are filled with shoegazey atmosphere, and James’s understated vocals don’t get in the way of the Moogy mood. Ethereal swells are pinned down by Eric Buford’s heavy but simple drumbeats.

The atmospheric textures were handled Friday night by a Macbook and some live synth parts while a screen provided polka-dotted visuals at the back of the stage. It was also fitting that James was played an Epiphone John Lennon reissue, as the Beatles are an obvious influence on the band.

Unfortunately the set as a whole lacked the fluidity that the Black Canary captures so well on its singles. The vocals were often too low in the mix and too dry for the band’s material. Some songs did work well, such as the B-side cover of Blur’s “Sing,” but instead of keeping that good vibe going, the banter between songs killed it. It felt like amateur hour, with James awkwardly name-dropping other bands and taking way too long to transition to the next tune. The low point was a collaboration with members of opener Afternoon Naps, which the bands admitted was unrehearsed. It showed.

I was also disappointed with the performance of the new single, “Vampire,” which sounded off-key and without as much of a hook as some of the band’s other material.

Not surprisingly given the band’s catalog, it was a short set. It by no means ruined me on the Black Canary--I’m still looking forward to that debut album when it eventually surfaces. But hopefully between now and then the band will play plenty of shows to hone those chops and do its recordings justice.

Warming up the stage was Cleveland’s Afternoon Naps, who performed short, Belle and Sebastian-style twee-pop songs, heavy on the twee. The guy-girl vocals and jangly guitar were nice, as were the xylophone and trumpet additions, but lyrics like “I’m so happy that you are mine, feeling happy all the time” started to drive me crazy. As did the seemingly required insertion of “ba ba ba,” “la la la” or “bum bum bum” into every song. Once the cover of “I Think We’re Alone Now” surfaced, I just about passed out from the saccharine overdose.

I was mesmerized the last time I saw the Black Swans at Andyman’s, but unfortunately the band was missing its violin player for the opening slot Friday night. It made me realize how much that fiddle adds, filling out the band’s weird, hushed folk ballads. With the violin, it’s eerie and spooky; without it, it just felt creepy. “New Medicine” and “Shake” were probably the best of the short set, and Jerry DeCicca’s low, whispered croon still drew me in from time to time. His harmonica sometimes helped fill the void, too. But alas, it just wasn’t the same. Noel Sayre, come back soon.

mp3: The Black Canary - Vampire

Year Long Disaster, The Suede Brothers, Sounds Under Radio - Ravari Room

Few things get under my skin more than aging music fans who claim that rock music hit its peak in the ’60s and ’70s and has been going downhill ever since. I certainly don’t deny the influence classic rock has had on music today, but when someone maintains that Zeppelin, Hendrix, etc. are the last rock bands worth listening to, I think of this as more of a character flaw than a difference of opinion. Chances are, we just won’t get along.

But Monday night’s show at the Ravari Room just might have been the perfect sanctuary for this hypothetical person and I to coexist peacefully, and maybe, just maybe, throw up a rawk fist together.

Headliner Year Long Disaster is the type of band that has appeal for bitter baby boomers, ironic collegiates and impressionable high schoolers alike. First off, the three-piece is led by singer/guitarist Daniel Davies, the son of the Kinks’ Dave Davies. Plus, bassist Rich Mullins founded Karma to Burn and drummer Brad Hargreaves comes from Third Eye Blind. The band released its debut on Volcom last fall, but the recording didn’t quite capture Year Long Disaster’s big sound. Live, however, these guys are a testament to the fact that sometimes all you need is a distortion-drenched guitar, bass and a steady beat to put on a good rock show.

It’s impossible not to mention Led Zeppelin and Wolfmother when describing YLD’s sound, but keep in mind they’re just guidelines. There will never be another Zeppelin. (I know, I’m sounding like my aforementioned nemesis, but it’s true.) Zeppelin’s tunes were built around big blues riffs, but Page and Plant also knew a thing or two about spicing up tunes with enough dynamic ranges that the songs weren’t (usually) nonstop guitar onslaughts. Year Long Disaster only played one tune that mixed it up stylistically, or at least had a quieter interlude.

As for Wolfmother, the fellow stoner metal band’s singer/guitarist Andrew Stockdale doesn’t have half the chops that Davies has, though Stockdale probably does have the better voice. Davies mixes just a bit too much phlegm into his glammy howl. But YLD showed a sense of authenticity that Wolfmother has yet to capture. I like this band; I don't like Wolfmother.

Davies also could use a few lessons on pop hooks from his dad, but Year Long Disaster was that rare combination of seasoned, ultra-skilled musicians who could still communicate something raw and powerful. Davies coaxed just the right gorgeously overdrived notes and squeaks and squeals out of his guitar, and his solos were impressively restrained. Oh yeah, and it was really, really loud.


Cleveland’s The Suede Brothers could be Year Long Disaster’s kid brothers--stylistically and literally. Singer/guitarist Dylan Francis is 20, bassist Kevin Naughton is 19 and drummer Mick Varga is 16. The band includes former members of the Black Diamonds, but in its current form, the Suede Brothers have been playing together for less than a year. So imagine my surprise when they opened the show with a terrific set. In fact, I think I enjoyed The Suede Brothers more than Year Long Disaster.

Francis is a downright nasty guitarist. He’s obviously taken lessons from the Jimmy Page handbook, but he dredges it with a little Soundgarden sludge, resulting in seismic riffage tailor-made for Guitar Hero. Plus, the kid has some vocal chords. He can hit those high notes, and he doesn’t shy away from them, either.

Like YLD, the tradeoff for these monster tunes was little diversity, but they’ll have plenty of time to develop that. I’m just a sucker for youthful rock-and-roll exuberance, and I expect to hear much, much more from this band in the coming year.

Sandwiched between these two trios was Austin’s Sounds Under Radio, who recently landed a song on the Spiderman 3 soundtrack and subsequently signed to Epic. Apparently this has made them take themselves quite seriously, because they had tons of gear (including lights), were endlessly unsatisfied with the monitor volume and obsessively re-tuned their guitars between every song. They also enjoy dramatically raising their arms at the beginning of songs.

This band was the odd man out on the bill. Alongside the other two ballsy performances, Sounds Under Radio felt like wuss-rock. Pointless samples, singer Lang Freeman’s excessive falsetto and an overenthusiastic but unimpressive bassist all made for an utterly forgettable performance. Not surprisingly, the band played to mostly an empty room. It wasn’t for a lack of effort, but as is the case with so many newly signed major-label bands, Sounds Under Radio tried so hard to be loved they forgot to be compelling.

More photos.

mp3: The Suede Brothers - Shotgun Philly
mp3: Year Long Disaster - Per Qualche Dollaro in Piu