the main female singer's solo project is called My Brightest Diamond. Good stuff! Also, please react to Sufjan's latest album, Javelin. It is a masterpiece imo. Thanks for the vid!
Thanks for the video! I think if you listen to the studio a few more times you'll appreciate the energy and 'fullness' of it, realizing that it's actually a bit less intricate and emotive live. The point Nate made after the first song was right on the money I think. There's a lot of care in the studio version that is really, really hard to capture from so many people all at once live (and yes I know much of the studio version was recorded live but many parts were added on later!). In casimir pulaski day, for example, it's supposed to be a subtle, lyrical, emotional song and the horns feel more like a lamentation or a point of reflection between verses in the studio version. Whereas in the live version it's just him awkwardly performing on the banjo. He doesn't sound like he's super into it. It almost feels like he's covering somebody else's song (and he's mentioned in past interviews that he struggled with performance anxiety a little bit back in the day, Age of Adz being partly an act of defiance against that anxiety which is quite admirable!). And then we get the so called 'fullness' of the whole band coming in, but in my opinion it takes away from the song. It feels impactful sonically in live version, sure, but it's hard to synthesize the themes of the song with the live arrangement. Also, there are plenty of instruments playing in the studio version that are simply not in the live version during the verses (he doesn't even do the dinky banjo melody that we all know and love when he plays it live!). Guitar, piano, organ, strings. So no, it's not fuller live lol. It's just louder and bigger. There's a difference. Lol I hope this isn't coming across as confrontational, I just feel it's a somewhat subtle but important point to make.
It's like instead of listening to a bunch of friends sharing in this man's intimate, more rustic project, we're hearing a fairly famous person perform these earnest yet whimsical yet sad, yet cheesy songs in a very formal manner. If you can shift your mindset then it's fine. I just have a hard time doing so when I feel so struck by the album. Having said that, Predatory Wasp is an exception. Beautiful.
Watching this performance has it really hitting home exactly how much of an idiot I am for not going to this tour... Lol. I got to see him solo at a small benefit which was amazing, but this would've been even more amazing to witness in person.
