By: Andrea Myers
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The Kingsbury Manx - Publicity Photo
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I have seen a number of bands recently who are receiving less attention than they deserve, but the oversight of the Chapel Hill, North Carolina quartet Kingsbury Manx has been the most blatent. Their show at the 7th Street Entry was so sparsely populated that when the Manx finished their set and stepped down to greet the measley 27 people in attendance, it only took a few minutes to get around to everyone in the room. Maybe the eerily warm weather prevented people from holing up in the little dark club for the night, or perhaps the inexplicable power of Bon Jovi -- who was playing across the street --sucked up most of the would-be attendees. Either way, the Twin Cities masses missed out on a great "wish you were here" show that left me excited to see if these guys return.
Kingsbury Manx were touring to promote their newly released gem The Rise and Fall of the South" a breath of fresh air that is at once timeless and innovative. The Yep Roc Records release was recorded and co-produced in April of 2005 with Wilco's Mike Jorgensen. It hit the shelves on September 20. Lead singer Bill Taylor's voice begs to be compared with Roger Waters, and his lyrical structures vary from e.e. cummings-esque poetry to stunning hand-painted scenic imagery and metaphors. The soaring melodies are even more lovely with the addition of effortless harmonies by bass player Clarque Blomquist.
One of my favorite songs on the album is entitled “What a Shame,” which Taylor describes as being “about two people who realize they are totally bored with each other” and gives the listener a unique perspective, telling the story from two points of view. The lyrics are breathtakingly simple, set to a rolling piano part and accentuated with lazy trumpet fills:
I feel so sedated, said she
so delusioned, said he
'cause this is what lives are supposed to be.
Other favorites include the opening track "Harness and Wheel," an uplifting ballad that portends a great indie-rock awakening with a great circular piano and guitar part; and "Oh No," punctuated by a delightful bouncing background vocal and more subdued piano playing by keyboardist Paul Finn and by the shuffling drumming of Ryan Richardson.
In concert the band's sound translates well, and they filled the room at the Entry with a trance-inducing ambience. The Manx opened the set with a handful of songs off of the new album and then digressed into material from their previous three releases. It is clear that the Manx have a solid collection of good songs, and I fully enjoyed their older material; but it seems that the new record is a step in a very good direction for the band. The older songs are less melodic and a bit darker, whereas the new material stands out as a more revealed, ethereal sound. For Kingsbury Manx, less is definitely more, as it allows them to show off their musical talents and lyrical prowess.
The live show highlighted the fact that these guys are yet to be discovered in our neck of the woods, though the small group of people in attendance showed much appreciation for their performance. The band decided to come back for an encore before they had even filed off the stage completely, playing one last song for the little group before calling it a night. Bassist Clarque Blomquist, in reference to the infamous stars on the outside of the building, asked if anyone knew whether Black Flag had played the main room or the Entry. An audience member replied that they "played the main room, but they played here first." It was hard not to notice the look in Blomquist's eyes, an intense longing. And I think all us in attendance were with him in hoping that they grow to be too big to fit in the little room next time around.
Kingsbury Manx Set List:
Harness and Wheel
Nova
What a Shame
Snow Angel Dance
Simplify
Pageant Square
Sleeping on the Ground
Regular Hands
And What Fallout!
Ruins
Oh No
We're On the Way
10008
"Encore" - Whether or Not it Matters
Location Info:
7th Street Entry
Artist Info: Kingsbury Manx
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