Bowerbirds and Bell form an odd couple in NYC

April 27, 2009, at the Mercury Lounge

By Rachel Surwit
Published: April 30th, 2009 | 2:35pm

On April 27, the first genuinely hot night of the year in New York City, the winds blew fresh air through the Lower East Side in the form of two very unique bands: Bell and Bowerbirds. The two acts are an odd pairing, but their conflicting vibes accentuate their authenticity.

Gold shimmering leggings peeked out from behind a long keyboard. They are the limbs of Olga Bell, the sensation for which the band Bell is named. “We’re Bell and we’re from here!,” she shouted. The trio really does epitomize the New York indie-rock scene, complete with hipster wardrobe, carefree poise, and experimental audacity.

With the aid of her two oddball percussionists, Jason Nazary and Gunnar Olsen, Bell weaved electronic rhythms from a Mac — sprawling harmonies and danceable beats with echoing lyrics sung with quirky charm. The echoed microphone didn’t cease as Bell bantered with the audience between songs, the hint of a Russian accent resonating across the stage.

The drum-heavy beats were autonomous from the eccentric vocals, but the tunes sent the audience moving nevertheless. Both drummers put their bodies into the beats. Olsen propelled his long hair in front of his face with each spastic force against the electric drums, sweat dripping from the strands. Nazary sat at his drum set, body jerking back and forth, eyes closed and mouth in a slight Mona Lisa smile as if in a trance.

Bell explored the range of her voice, taking it from a deep whisper to a passionate shout and back again as she widened her mouth and lifted her head with captivating sentiment. Songs such as “The Miner” felt dreamlike as her hips swayed to the swirl of her vocals, notes drawn out. Bell’s peculiar approach has her compared to Björk, and it is clear the similarities lie in their unabashed creativity.

Comparatively, the headlining Bowerbirds seemed unpolluted by urban woes. This is their angle and they make it evident: Phil Moore sported a shirt from his home state of North Carolina while his righthand girl, natural beauty Beth Tacular, had on a flowing off-white dress with lace. Though rural, they are not naïve. They paint a bleak picture of our relationship with nature and it makes for compelling songs, particularly live, as the soothing melodies contrast with the heartening lyrics. The audience listened intently, as this was not the kind of concert where you sing along. Moore, the band’s chief songwriter, weaved scenic imagery over an acoustic guitar while Tacular sang delicate harmonies and rhythmically pulled an accordion, big for her small frame.

Bowerbirds sauntered through a couple standout tunes from their 2008 LP, Hymns for a Dark Horse (Dead Oceans) — including a stunning “My Oldest Memory,” Moore’s eyes were closed and his head was swaying — before breaking out new work from their upcoming album, Upper Air, due in July. The debut material, including “House of Diamonds,” “Silver Clouds,” “Chimes” and “Teeth,” focused on more personal human relationships than Dark Horse, but it still integrated nature with striking metaphors.

The songs weren’t the only new additions to the tour; Matt Damron from Bright Young Things joined on drums and Megafaun’s Brad Cook joined on bass. The team worked seamlessly, even on the old material like “In Our Talons” and “Dark Horse.”

The chorus of a new song entitled “Northern Lights” proves that Bowerbirds will hold on to their chaste charm: “I don’t expect a southern girl to know the northern lights / No, all I want is your eyes.” While the wind may blow them through this country, they’ll keep their feet firmly on the earth. They are from North Carolina, and that’s how we like them.
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For more photos from this show visit Venus Zine's Flickr page
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Review of Bowerbirds' Hymns for a Dark Horse (Dead Oceans)