Real Estate + Twin Sister @ Il Motore – 20.07.11
First to take the stage is Dent May and his band. As he sports a look of boyish glee in his shorts, baseball cap, and oversized button up tee, May cradles the crowd to some surprisingly tasty pop jams. The crowd is not surprisingly, but still, unfortunately sparse. Yet his set guarantees that May is sure to return to this city of ours, by way of the magic of word-of-mouth. May prefaces a track as, “written for wedding reception parties” and blossoms a comfortably messy set of surf pop harmonies while softly serenading, “highschool sweethearts” in “Eastover Wives.” Also recommended, is “Meet me in the Garden” – a real romantic jam for those warm summer nights.
Second act Lost Boy ? take the stage at a timely hour, with an active attempt to liven up the previously mellow atmosphere. They accounce that this is their first time in Canada, and then introduce us to their rough, lo-fi sound. Here’s another band that will be back, with perhaps an evolved ability to toy with a psychadelic punk sound. (Yes, that should sound a bit difficult). Highlight of the seemingly short set could be, “Carwash” and its flirty undertones.
Third to take the stage is the messy haired blonde babe that’s been standing in the back corner next to the merch table this whole time. She is Twin Sister vocalist Andrea Estella, and what emerges is a set of vocals that fit the look of a messy haired blonde babe. Estella’s rough and gentle vocals are likely to gain comparisons to the likes of Beth Gibbons, (which c’mon, is one huge compliment). With its pulsing rhythms and escalating drums, Estella cries out haunting demands in, “Milk & Honey.” “Why can’t you be what I want you to be?” she croons. Towards the end of the Set Estella announces a set of brand new songs and the band offers a twist to her melancholic cries, with lively funk jam, “Bad Street.”
And finally, out come New Jersey-based psychedelic surf pop band, Real Estate. Prior to this night, I had seen them open for Woods to a cramped and sweaty crowd at Club Lambi. Although tonight’s spacious and air conditioned setting make up for it, no one wants to really associate the word “spacious” to their headlining show. Real Estate offers a classical taste of what should be available in a perfect summer night, much like this one. With a steady rhythm of drums, and reverberating guitars, and Martin Courtney’s muted vocals that sort of cradle the songs, even though they could very well carry on their own. The stand out track from the set may be, “It’s Real” off of their upcoming record, Days in which the band serenades the crowd to surf pop riffs, and really harnesses the entire song in it’s damn-catchy cries – “Woah-oh it’s real” Courtney insists. Real Estate take up older tracks comfortably as well, as they serenade their home-based Garden State in older track, “Green River.” And then there is the moment when the crowd pleasantly recognizes older track, “Beach Comber” which carries a hint of both melancholy and optimism, allowing it to stand out as a truly perfect summer song. – Sruti I
Real Estate
Twin Sister
Lost Boy ?
Dent May
Photography by Mike Colatruglio
