Boise Weekly Review: The Maldives, Star Anna and Jan Summerhays @ Neurolux (7/23/13)

photo by Tyler Carney

When The Maldives played Neurolux last July, lead singer Jason Dodson wore a Neil Young T-shirt. That seemed a bit redundant, given the Seattle band’s folk/country melodies, steady tempos and terse, yowling guitar solos.

Dodson’s shirt read “Mississippi Records” this time around, at Neurolux July 23, but the music still suggested that he and his bandmates have worn out a few copies of Harvest and After the Gold Rush.

In spite of the derivativeness of their material, The Maldives turned in an enjoyable performance. But the two openers, Jan Reed Summerhays and Star Anna, were far more distinctive.

***

For the rest of this review, you can go to Boise Weekly's Cobweb blog.  Special thanks to Tyler Carney for his photos.

The Maldives and Sun Blood Stories @ Neurolux (7/20/12)

This show caught my attention because it featured Sun Blood Stories, a local act I've meant to see for a while, and The Maldives, a folk/country-rock band from Seattle who played here during Treefort.  I considered checking them out then, but, well...

Yeah.  Wasn't gonna happen.

Neurolux wasn't nearly as crowded this time around.  At first, I thought that maybe everybody who would've been interested in this show was over at the Eagle River Pavillion watching Chris Isaak.  However, a decent enough crowd built up by the time that the Maldives played (about 45 or so people, by my count).

First up this night was Sun Blood Stories a.k.a. local musician Ben Kirby.  If the then-meager crowd bothered Kirby, he didn't show it (probably helped that a couple of ladies were dancing during his set).  His languidly confident baritone made me think a little of Gregg Allman, but his lyrics about sex, suicide, killing giants and trees eating truckers alive made me think a lot of Tom Waits.  Whatever he sang, his dependable sense of rhythm and his blues-steeped guitar rendered it listenable and danceable.  Welcome to the new weird America.

After Sun Blood Stories finished, The Maldives took the stage.  Even if their lead singer hadn't worn a Neil Young t-shirt, this band's folk melodies, tenor harmonies, raw guitar solos, calm banjo picking and cryptic, ominous lyrics would've indicated a familiarity with Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, After the Gold Rush and Harvest.  Their rootsy eccentricity felt too willful and self-conscious for their rave-ups to rawk as much as they wanted, but the traces here and there of John Prine's homely warmth and goofy wisdom compensated.  As did their three-times-as-good-as-Ralph-Molina lady drummer.

You can find info on The Maldives and Sun Blood Stories on Facebook and elsewhere online.  Special thanks to Eric Gilbert and Duck Club Presents.