Casbah Presents: Wye Oak at the Belly Up tonight

Wye Oak (Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack) Photo courtesy of Grandstand Media

I remember a musician tweeting a withering assessment of the Arcade Fire some years ago.  They charged that having 10 people on stage doing the work of four musicians is the opposite of a magic trick.  This 140-character piece of snark stuck with me longer than I would have thought, only because of Wye Oak's opposite effect.  Despite consisting only of Jenn Wassner on guitars (electric and bass) and Andy Stack on the drums and keys, Wye Oak has never failed to leave their audience viscerally-aware of their presence on stage.  Shriek is such a confident and wonderfully composed album that found both musicians not only drifting far from eachother geographically, but musically as well with Wasner teaching herself bass for this album and Stack's evolving use of keys.  What they produced is an album that dives into jagged rhythms and winding bass-led grooves before stitching together lush tapestries out of gnarled musical threads.  Their 2011 album, Civilian, is a masterpiece (and in near constant rotation in my car) that finds Wasner and Stack deploying volume in a way that engrosses listeners the same way footage of avalanches or tidals waves do: we are simultaneously terrified and awed by the immense power and beauty being witnessed.

Pattern is Movement opens, tickets are $18, and doors are at 9pm.  Check out one of the stand out tracks from their newest album Shriek, "Glory", after the jump.

Preview: The Night Terrors of 1927 at the Casbah tonight

The Night Terrors of 1927 (Blake Sennett and Jarrod Gorbel) photo courtesy of Atlantic Records

Despite the ominous name that would make metal bands kick themselves for not thinking of first, The Night Terrors of 1927 is Jarrod Gorbel's (The Honorary Title) and Blake Sennett's (Rilo Kiley/The Elected) newest musical project.  However, fans of both artists raw, emotive style will be surprised to hear the quiet acoustic performances featured in both artist's oeuvre has been replaced by rousing grandiose arrangements courtesy of producer Andrew Dawson, who co-produced Kanye West's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy".  I've been a huge fan of Gorbel's and Sennett's for a long time now and I was stunned to hear the change in style for these two musicians.  Some of their debut EP, Guilty Pleas, tracks hearken back to the crowd-pleasing songs on The Honorary Title's last album Scream and Light Up the Sky, yet stand out tracks like the single "Dust and Bones" demonstrate a much more confident foray into a poppier sound.  This is a band on the rise and, if there is any justice in this world, you'll be hearing greats things coming from Gorbel and Sennett in the near future.  The Night Terrors of 1927 are playing with Magic Man and Prides tonight at the Casbah, tickets are $12 and can be purchased here and at 9 p.m. at the door.  Check out their first single, "Dust and Bones", after the jump.

Show Preview: The Hush Sound play Anti-Monday League for the Casbah

It has been a long time since the Hush Sound has been on my radar but I am glad that they're bringing their jangly tunes back to San Diego.  I first encountered the four piece band sometime in 2005 when they were opening for Fall Out Boy, All American Rejects, Hawthorne Heights, and From First to Last.  But do not hold that against them!  The split vocals of Bob Morris and Greta Salpeter and bubbly rhythms brought from the piano and guitars always stood out as simultaneously honoring the past while looking forward to trends that are only recently popular.  If you're a fan of the Head and the Heart and the Silent Comedy, then the Hush Sound is worth a listen.  Tickets can be purchased here. For a taste of their sound check out the song below.