“This,” young Joe Williams said while sweeping his left to right across the Merc stage, “is White Williams.” Not entirely so, although maybe for the busy touring months the artist to watch has ahead. Last night’s show was, if pre-show bar chatter’s to be believed, White’s first live outing. Also, it was a chance to test the waters with the “band,” consisting of an impossibly high-waisted-jeans toting guitarist, a scruffy bassist, and Williams on an assortment of keys, Hohner soprano melodica, laptop triggers, and vox. We were prepared for a Beirut at Knit-type showing of green, but no need for concession last night.
White’s debut LP Smoke‘s billowed into a full-fledged Stereofave, full of quirky sonic jabs over computer beats and Bowie vocal lines, netting dancey new wave (“Violator”) and Talking Heads-y world grooves (“Going Down”), fluid and easy. Both tracks came crisp under Joe’s direction last night, along with sure hits “Headlines” and “New Violence,” loud ‘n’ true to the studio bits. Upcoming tours with Dan Deacon/Girl Talk and Battles beckon, but that didn’t stop understated but stage-commanding White from wanting each beat in place from the open, each vocal just so, each trigger in line with his band cue. Street buzz’s been great, the songs are even better. Here’s our new favorite, folks, bound to have a good run this year. Grab MP3 of “New Violence,” head to MySpace for “Route To Palm” and “Violator” streams, and take the jump for a couple more pics.
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Why doesn’t anyone mention Brian Eno? It seems like “journalists” decide to skip his biggest “influence”.
The show was rough. Defintely a diamond in the rough.
Eno by implication (Talking Heads), maybe? Either way, digging it. Glad to see it’s more than kid with laptop. We’ve had enough of those. Want to hear “Headlines.”
Is this gonna be a madhouse? >>
Wednesday, October 17 | BOWERY BALLROOM
* Deerhunter
* Dan Deacon
* No Age
* White Williams
yes, scott. think it’s time for another ‘buried to the eyeballs at bowery’ press shot!
shhhhhhhhhhhh not much publicity please. Bowery is not huge.
I think Jay was refering to Here Comes the Warm Jets Eno than Talking Heads, Evan, but who cares, his music is still awesome!
Totally Here Comes the Warm Jets. Balls
Not hating. been listening to the Smoke album on repeat for the last month.
Show was all right. I’m sure his stage show will be on point after he goes on tour. It was definitely rough.
they sounded okay but pretty boring to watch. definitely an eno (and talking heads) influence in there.
Plastiscines were really fun too, you shoulda stuck around.
i didn’t remember much about white williams’s performance by the time the plastiscines were done playing.
I wanna see photos of Plastiscines!
Plus, I have that same model of melodica at home somewhere. Haven’t played it in decades.
*me, I uploaded some Plastiscines photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/soundbites/tags/plastiscines/
, still haven’t written my post
Thanks, bill p!
nice, bill. would’ve stayed but i was running on fumes — glad plastiscines hit it, though. agreed on eno, y’alls. loving smoke.