Six Organs of Admittance w/ Mouthus and Mick Turner @ Mercury Lounge, Tues. Jan. 29th, 2008

Openers Mouthus are an artsy stoner-noise duo, with thick, fuzzed-out guitars over combined live drums and an 80's analog electronic drum pad. Incoherent delayed vocals float above the mix to complete the trance-like groove, that I was just a bit too sober at 8pm to fully appreciate.

Tren Brothers, an instrumental collaboration of Mick Turner and Jim White of The Dirty Three, combined the soft ambiance of Yo La Tengo with the melodic variation of Do Make Say Think, over a free jazz rhythm. Jim White, who set up center stage and provided the majority of the rhythmic details, was phenomenal. He's the guy other rock drummers take lessons from, who can play any style, with any musician, and make it look effortless. It's not often you get to hear someone like that play a full set live, and the way he would bend and stretch the tempo kept the music interesting and dynamic. Mick Turner, on guitar, had to carry the entire melody himself, and was quite exposed to any mistakes, but he kept it together, and without the use of any effects, for probably the best show of the night.

Six Organs of Admittance, opened their show with Ben Chasny solo, playing a mix of traditional and flamenco style guitar over 60s-ish psychedelic folk vocals. After three or four songs he was joined by the effervescent Elisa Ambrogio on lead guitar, who adds that missing dynamic that makes Six Organs records so mysterious. With such a sparse arrangement, at times I would grow bored, but overall the show was pleasant and intimate. They closed their set with my favorite song "Home," so I went home happy. =)