SOUNDTRACK: KACY & CLAYTON-Tiny Desk (Home) Concert #186 (March 29, 2021).
Kacy & Clayton had been generating some buzz around here just as the pandemic hit. I hadn’t heard any of their songs, but their names kept cropping up. And the one constant note was that they were cousins.
I don’t know who Marlon Williams is, or if he sings with them much (you’d think their name would be different) but he features prominently in these songs.
Across hemispheres, despite a nearly 8,000-mile separation, the Saskatoon, Canada duo of cousins Kacy & Clayton and New Zealand’s Marlon Williams manage to create harmony and intimacy. The Tiny Desk (home) concert, on the surface, is joyful and playful with animated illustrations by Daniel Syrnick.
They start with “I Wonder Why.” Marlon sings lead and plays backing guitar on this one. Then Clayton play a quite electric lead guitar before Kacy kicks in with some really nice backing harmonies. She sings in a striking country style although this song has a kind of old school country rock and roll feel.
Marlon’s Roy Orbison-like voice conjure a 1950s rock and roll sound that’s a surprisingly perfect match for Kacy’s serene voice.
A careful listen to “Plastic Bouquet,” the title track to the 2020 collaboration between Kacy Lee Anderson, Clayton Linthicum, and Marlon Williams, reveals a depth of storytelling more familiar in murder ballads than the trio’s upbeat Americana sound.
Kacy sings,
When a small four-door car was severed in two
Three girls were killed by a boy they all knew
Out for a party, they’d never attend
Pockets with money they never would spend
The devastatingly sad tale is met with smiles across hemispheres while an animated teacup pops on screen for Kacy to sip.
Kacy’s banter between songs seems really stiff for some reason. But Marlon seems to be enjoying himself.
The “Arahura” has an old West/Americana feel despite the fact that the river is in New Zealand. The yodeling vocals do work well together along with Clayton’s guitar licks.
Kacy stiffly says, “Wow that is a fun one. It’s fun but it’s sad.”
“Isn’t It” has a very cool guitar riff and is a bit more uptempo.
It’s a magic collaboration of the very far north meeting the very deep south. The wizardry of technology reminds me of the wondrous world we often share these days, from a distance.
Before the final song, “Devil’s Daughter” comes the most awkward banter I have ever seen.
Marlon: It’s nice to be able to play these songs.
Kacy: It IS nice. It’s nice because we know them. [WTF?]
Marlon: I know, imagine if we didn’t
Kacy: Yes it’s be hard. {WTF]
“Devil’s Daughter” is a pretty song with some nice guitar work from Clayton.
[READ: April 30, 2020] “Feel and Hold”
I’ve said before and this confirms my opinion that Diane Williams writes amazing sentences. But cockamamie stories.
The Rotches went out for food in the morning. But the meat didn’t look appetizing so they didn’t buy any.
This despite or because of the fact that the butchers hands were more expressive than their own–“those vendor’s hands could hold and feel at the same time. When we hold a thing–I am not so sure we feel it.”
After a few paragraphs the story interrupts itself
Rotsch was–did I tell you this?–my friend Rotsch became quite a problem in the end and he fled to some remote part of the country. I enjoy weird interruptions like that, but this story seems to be all interruption. (more…)
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I saw The Beths about a year ago at Underground Arts. Since then they have now moved up from the 650 person venue to Union Transfer (1500) which they also sold out! Great new for them!
This show has been bounced around now to three different venues. I was sure I’d finally get to see The Beths, but then this new uptick pushed their tour back. I don’t know how wise pushing back a show for one month is during this pandemic nonsense. Especially since they’re saying the spike will drop away in mid-March, but darnit, I really want to see The Beths.
