The self-titled release by Baltimore's Eureka Birds late last year took out my feet from under me. From there the sound of the unsigned group has found its way to our friends and readers. At Philadelphia's North Star Bar, the six-man band's entrancing eloquence quivered beyond the surround brick walls, perhaps ushering in a new wave of fans.
Eureka Birds
About a year ago at the North Star Bar, we were smart/fortunate enough to catch Sea Wolf. Behind the vocals of Alex Brown Church and all of the well-timed and cleanly projected instruments, the show (not concert) of the year took place. Harnessing many similar aspects of their show as Sea Wolf, Eureka Birds glimmered behind Justin Levy for another memorable showcase at the hallway bar.
While Church and co. formed around a folk rock mystique, Eureka Birds integrated the same spacey feel of an acoustic show with a hollowed-out and edgy creation, courtesy of Levy's down-tempo and controlled keyboard work along with Dami Soh's winding cello play. When their synthesizer added to the keyboard and soft sticks hit the drums, the group most effectively projected their portentous presence. Add an electric guitar capable of a solo at any whim and a bass emptying the dead space and the music emitted a feverish tremor.
The songs "Oh My Dear" and "Goodbye Space and Time" commanded the most attention from the hour long set. Chants of "more cello" resounded from the back of the bar after Soh's cello whittled together the eerily uptight "Oh My Dear". In "Goodbye Space and Time" several guitar solos, lyrics that slowly faded in and out, and a jazz hall composition closed the set as our video below shows.
After talking with the group after the show, we found out this was their first trip up to Philly. They also mentioned plans to begin working on a new album and possibly take their act on the road full time. Eureka Birds currently have three shows slated for next month, including one with The Reign of Kindo, another group we have monitored since their formation in the wake of This Day & Age's end.
For more on Eureka Birds, check out their website and MySpace. To check out our review of their album, head here. The album is also on iTunes.
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