[DID NOT ATTEND: May 24, 2022] Sondre Lerche / mmeadows
I’ve been a fan of Sondre Lerche for about eight years.
I was delighted to have the opportunity to see him live, but when the night of the show came up, my wife and I decided to just stay home instead. She didn’t really know him–sometimes I get tickets for a show I think she’ll like–and I’m sure that impacted her decision to stay home.
At the same time, it felt like a long drive for a seated show of mellow folk, no matter how good it was.
Here’s a review from the NYC show the night before
Lerche said that his newest album was written and recorded in Norway, where he grew up and hunkered down during lockdown. He kept busy training for marathons, started a wine company, wrote children’s books, and busted out creative new music videos during that span. He also discussed how his working methods have allowed his artistry to evolve and branch out in unique ways.
Lerche’s music has continued to evolve over the years and now encompasses an extraordinary range of styles, each amazing in their own right, from jazz and addictive instrumental ballads to pop melodies and rhythms. Approaching each song is much like examining a gallery piece: once you can overcome the rush and excitement of the melody and can focus on the lyrics, you let them sink in. His thought-provoking, introspective poetry strikes a chord and makes you love and appreciate the songs more with each listen. These elements come together with eclectic, but incredibly appealing results.
I don’t really know mmeadows, but their music is pretty interesting. Rough Trade publishing describes them this way:
Longtime collaborators Kristin Slipp and Cole Kamen-Green come together for the first time as a duo in mmeadows. The band’s distinct sound is informed by their deep musical backgrounds: Kristin is a current member of indie royalty Dirty Projectors, while Cole has worked directly with Beyoncé on two albums, ‘Beyoncé’ and ‘Four.’ Drawing from their disparate influences, mmeadows sees two people connect in what Paste Magazine calls a sonically “singular” way.
Vocal-focused pop songwriting is the heartbeat of mmeadows, who liberally use found sounds and esoteric vintage instruments in their productions and performances. The band released their first EP, Who Do You Think You Are?, in April 2020.
Perhaps a but too poppy for me, but I’ll bet they’re fun live.
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