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July 02, 2007
Neon Lights: Tacks, the Boy Disaster
The time has come once again for the animated salesmanship that springs forth every time d and myself throw one of our Neon Lights extravaganzas. Seeing as our Union Hall debut this weekend will feature two shows and two nights to be excited about, the anticipation levels are so great that they've got me a tad muddled. Instead of proceeding in a calm, business like manner through the running order of the two bills I will be throwing terrific bands at you in a manner some might deem "willy-nilly."
Bah, convention be damned!
We start with a band from Saturday's menagerie...
As will become quickly apparent, Saturday's line-up has a bit of an Austin, TX bent to it. The only current Texans, however, will be the fine gentleman of Tacks, the Boy Disaster. Lead songwriter Evan Jacobs (short interview with EJ here) spent some time in the trenches with acclaimed Texas exports the Polyphonic Spree and Midlake before venturing out with a group all his own. His piano-driven songs are plainly beautiful, but not simplistic in the least. From last year's beloved Oh, Beatrice EP, we have two prime examples...
Tacks, the Boy Disaster - "Paris"
"Paris" features a deceptively propulsive beat, hanging in the background behind acoustic guitars, a hanging piano loop, and Jacob's dare I say Art Garfunkel gone Elephant 6 vocal. The most exciting thing about the song is how its sound organically swells and ebbs, incorporating pretty vocal melodies and delicate instrumentation, but never breaking into overblown syrupy sweetness. It's sad, but not lonely...
Tacks, the Boy Disaster - "Frozen Feet"
Picking up the pace a smidge, we also have the hand clap and organ accented "Frozen Feet." Always pretty, yet never only that.
For the more visually inclined, we have this lovely video, as well;
Tacks, the Boy Disaster - "Forgetmenot"
Far from an uncorroborated whim of ours, Tacks, the Boy Disaster has been loved promiscuously by media outlets blog and not. Choice selections from the choir...
the Austin Chronicle
the Daily Texan
Fluxblog
Stereogum
Gorilla vs. Bear
My Old Kentucky Blog
The band also recorded a session for the rightly esteemed Daytrotter.com. Four songs free to download live on perpetually in their archives, here.
Well, I think that's a tidy lump of information and media right there. The won over patron (or longtime fan) can get tickets right now for this Saturday night's show, also featuring the soon to be profiled Botany Bay, Via Audio, and Ola Podrida, at this Ticket Web hub.
Stay tuned all week for further arm twisting/ just plain old good music....
Posted by Jeff Klingman at July 2, 2007 11:25 AM
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