by Adam McGrath
The line between music and sex occasionally blurs, with both expressions rooted in passion, excitement, and rhythm. For the thousand-plus sweaty bodies at Union Transfer Sunday night, they proved one and the same as Tune-Yards and Sylvan Esso made love to the crowd through their songs.
Opening act Sylvan Esso is the unlikely duo of singer Amelia Meath and producer Nick Sanborn, and the combination of her beautiful voice with his inventive beats creates a stirring sound that can make you cry or make you come. Meath, dressed simply in pants and a tank top with her hair in a bun, nevertheless set the mood with her gyrating hips and potent voice. The set featured songs from Sylvan Esso’s self-titled album, released in May on Partisan Records. Popular tracks “Hey Mami”, “Coffee”, and “Play It Right” showcased both artists’ talents, but it was banger “H.S.K.T.” that brought the crowd to a dance-fueled climax.
Sylvan Esso (photo credit, Adam McGrath)
Properly stimulated, the diverse crowd recharged for round two with headliner Tune-Yards. The stage backdrop was spotted with eerie floating eyeballs, which would later be highlighted by strobing spotlights. Large swaths of pink fabric stretched toward the edges of the stage, punctuated in the center by a sharp-toothed mouth. Freud would have a field day with that one.
Anchored by the multi-talented Merrill Garbus and Nate Brenner, Tune-Yards looked a lot different than they did back in October of 2011 at the same venue. Yes, the aesthetics were similar, with Garbus sporting her trademark neon facepaint and an eclectic outfit, but the lineup has shifted to include percussionist Dani Markham and vocalists Jo Lampert and Abigail Nessen-Bengson. These changes reflect the new direction of the band’s music on latest release, Nikki Nack (4AD).
Whereas earlier Tune-Yards songs were built with Garbus looping and layering multiple tracks of percussion and vocals, the new songs tap into a more organic inspiration, that of Haitian drumming and culture. Garbus became enamored with these rhythms during a trip to the beleaguered island nation last year, and she and her bandmates have been working with and raising funds for a company in their hometown of Oakland, California to send them to Haiti for the first time.
Tune-Yards played seven songs from Nikki Nack, and each performance on its own was an impressive accomplishment. Garbus showcased her incredible vocal range, from powerful bellow to delicate high notes. Lampert was awesomely animated, throwing her body into every line she sang. There seemed to be a real spiritual connection between the musicians that translated to intricate yet expansive performances of the new songs. The only time I really missed the horn section was on the smash hit “Bizness” from previous album Whokill.
While I definitely enjoyed Tune-Yards’ performance, it failed to achieve the same orgasmic intensity as Sylvan Esso’s set. The passion and excitement were there, but the rhythm of the performance was stunted by the lengthy interludes between each song. Sure, it was nice to hear that Garbus’ stylist is from Philly, and that part of the ticket price is going toward funding a Haitian drum company, but the result was a set that was like a heavy petting session without full release. I would have liked to hear more than the 12 songs that were played, or at least hear them in a way that kept me locked in to the emotional core of the brilliant music this band produces.
