Written and Photographed by Max Bennett
WXPN Wednesday night put on an eclectic show at World Cafe Live’s Lounge in celebration of their latest compilation LP release that features all Philly-area artists.
The album, Homegrown Originals Vol. 3, which was only released in limited quantities at a handful of record stores in the Greater Philadelphia area on Record Store Day, is packed with local acts such as Dr. Dog, Zinadelphia, Mannequin Pussy, and Khalil Amaru.
Wednesday’s show highlighted three acts on the record: Cadre Noir, Eliza Hardy Jones, and dd Toby Leaman Trio.
The free show was “sold out,” meaning enough music lovers made sure to secure an RSVP.
First up was Cadre Noir. The five-piece delivered a set full of silky smooth tones, with some occasional punk influences coming through.
The vibes for their set were laid-back, largely, but moments of fiery guitar solos and pounding drums cut through the head-bob-inducing tracks.
Singer-guitarist Kayin delivered lyrics with a lilt and lackadaisical presence, but also showed off his pipes in a few tracks on the set list. The former vocal styles evoked lo-fi and hip-hop akin to Steve Lacy, while the latter showed Kayin’s obvious love of soul and R&B greats.
Bassist Jaz also took some time on the mic, offering up dulcet tones that harkened to classic ’90s artists like Lauryn Hill.
At this point in the set, I noticed a severe lack of movement in the crowd. They were hearing the same sweet beats I was — why weren’t they in the groove too? Still, they gave Cadre Noir plenty of applause after each track. I just have a hard time not moving to music when it’s being performed as well as Cadre Noir was laying it down Wednesday night.
Cadre Noir wasn’t all laid-back, as some tracks featured elements akin to post-surf rock SoCal vibes. One song featured drums that could get the right crowd two-stepping along with the hooky beat and instrumentation.
And toward the end of their set, Cadre Noir laid down an instrumental track that was punchy and heavy. This track was not a head-bobber, but a head-banger — something I did not expect after seeing them shine in the more chill genres as mentioned above.
At the close of their set, I thought to myself that many of these tracks sound similar to samples often used in ’80s and ’90s hip-hop, like the Isley Brothers, Mtume, or Leon Haywood.
Their set wrapped up in about half an hour, and Eliza Hardy Jones was up next.
Jones, armed with two guitars and a keyboard, told the crowd she had not played the songs in her set live before Wednesday and was unsure how to bring them to life on stage. So, she wrote choral arrangements for each and brought up four vocalists to accompany her.
And let me tell you, this was the highlight of the night. No shade to Cadre Noir and dd Toby Leaman Trio — they were great — but Jones’s set was incredibly captivating.
This is coming from someone who is a sucker for distorted guitars, ripping solos, and fat, chunky riffs.
Truth be told, I don’t recall much in the way of lyrics and themes of Jones’s set. And it was not for lack of good material, I’m sure — Jones has a long list of accomplishments and collaborations that show just how good a singer-songwriter she is. She’s worked with Iron and Wine, War on Drugs, and more.
I simply could not stop thinking about the vocal performances she and her guest vocalists delivered. The harmonies were from another plane of existence — ethereal and bright.
Which makes sense, as Jones took a moment in her set to say it’s important to resist “dark forces” that are at hand in the United States. One can safely assume she was referring to the increasingly draconian and fascistic policies of the Trump administration.
It’s hard to overstate just how captivating this performance was. Jones and her guest vocalists stole the show, in this writer’s opinion. If she continues to perform these songs live, I hope she can keep these singers or enlist some others to share her beautiful arrangements with more audiences.
dd Toby Leaman Trio closed out the night.
Led by Dr. Dog’s own bassist/guitarist/vocalist Toby Leaman, the trio’s set was another genre shift after Jones’s enchanting set.
The energy was cranked up for their set, and at one point Leaman even said they had to slow down as they were blazing through their set.
Despite lacking a bass, the trio managed to fill the room with sound.
Leaman put on an electric performance, dancing around and belting lyrics while banging out chords on guitar — which was quite impressive considering he said he spent the day working on rebuilding a covered bridge in Newtown Square. We love a blue-collar laborer with an artistic side, don’t we, folks?
The trio’s drummer and keyboardist were spectacular in their supporting roles during the set.
I wish I could say more about their set, but as I said, the vocal harmonies from Jones’s set were stuck in my brain.
Cadre Noir
Website, Instagram, YouTube, Spotify, Bandcamp
Eliza Hardy Jones
Website, Spotify, X, Instagram, YouTube, YouTube Music, Apple Music
dd Toby Leaman Trio
