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While the masses flocked to Boom Island on Saturday for yearly music festival Rock the Garden, a small but dedicated crowd gathered in the chilled bowl of the Triple Rock to watch the gloom-rock triple bill of locals Pale Spectre and Gloss and British headliners Eagulls.
Pale Spectre features the talents of a slew of prominent Twin Cities musicians: Jeff Cornell and Sean Neppl, bass and guitar, are also in Gloss; drummer Gunnar Kauth played with the late, very great Frankie Teardrop; Patrick Donohoe, who grooved the synths, is in Principality and CLAPS. They all play under the leadership of singer/guitarist Aaron Hammerly whose 80s-inspired guitar pop was the perfect elixir to a day oppressed by heat. Pale Spectre released their first EP back in April called Principles & Faculties
After some quick personnel change and switching up of instruments, Neppl and Cornell morphed into Gloss; bassist/vocalist Jackson Woolsey, Emmy Carter on synths/vocals and drummer Josh Olson rounded out the group. Gloss share similar shoegaze-y elements with Pale Spectre and Eagulls, but have songs that build and erupt, reminding me of post-rock giants like Godspeed! You Black Emperor or Explosions in the Sky. The band has some singles and an EP (Between Themselves, 2013) behind them, but on their Facebook page Olson promised to reveal the release date of a full length album very soon!
Eagulls took to the stage to the swell of moody orchestration and kicked off with “Lemontree” followed by a handful of punchier favorites like “Tough Luck” and “Yellow Eyes,” both from the band’s self-titled debut. The newest album Ullages is a powerful one, but far more somber than the previous record. That said, not one person in the venue could keep still as the music very much encouraged movement. Songs like “Blume” and “Velvet” have a gauzy, bittersweet Smiths-esque vibe thanks to extraordinary guitar work from Liam Matthews and Mark Goldsworthy. “Skipping” is a decidedly darker jam, something along the lines of the Jesus and Mary Chain or the Cure. And it sounded glorious: bassist Tom Kelly’s coal-black bassline rumbling just below an electric shower of guitar as percussionist Henry Ruddel pounded out a menacing beat. Lead singer George Mitchell’s angst-riddled wail was at its most potent during a stunning rendition of “My Life in Rewind.” Even Mitchell himself was unable to resist the languid sway of the melody, slowly rocking his narrow frame side to side while leaning the mic.
Save for a few fist bumps to Goldsworthy from two enthusiastic fans, the band chose to keep things fairly sedate on stage. Mitchell mumbled a few things here and there but most of his words were sadly getting swallowed up by all the white noise. Later in the show, the two fist-bumpers decided to yell, “Cheer up!” at Mitchell. He stared out at them and calmly replied, “Depression can be a beautiful thing.” And when it’s served up by these five young men from Leeds, it really is.
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Pale Spectre
photo: Amy
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Glossr
photo: Amy
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Eagulls took to the stage to the swell of moody orchestration and kicked off with “Lemontree” followed by a handful of punchier favorites like “Tough Luck” and “Yellow Eyes,” both from the band’s self-titled debut. The newest album Ullages is a powerful one, but far more somber than the previous record. That said, not one person in the venue could keep still as the music very much encouraged movement. Songs like “Blume” and “Velvet” have a gauzy, bittersweet Smiths-esque vibe thanks to extraordinary guitar work from Liam Matthews and Mark Goldsworthy. “Skipping” is a decidedly darker jam, something along the lines of the Jesus and Mary Chain or the Cure. And it sounded glorious: bassist Tom Kelly’s coal-black bassline rumbling just below an electric shower of guitar as percussionist Henry Ruddel pounded out a menacing beat. Lead singer George Mitchell’s angst-riddled wail was at its most potent during a stunning rendition of “My Life in Rewind.” Even Mitchell himself was unable to resist the languid sway of the melody, slowly rocking his narrow frame side to side while leaning the mic.
Save for a few fist bumps to Goldsworthy from two enthusiastic fans, the band chose to keep things fairly sedate on stage. Mitchell mumbled a few things here and there but most of his words were sadly getting swallowed up by all the white noise. Later in the show, the two fist-bumpers decided to yell, “Cheer up!” at Mitchell. He stared out at them and calmly replied, “Depression can be a beautiful thing.” And when it’s served up by these five young men from Leeds, it really is.
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Eagulls at Triple Rock Social Club, Minneapolis (18 June 2016) photo: Amy
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