When I first heard the name Musée Mécanique, I couldn’t help but wonder what to expect. Are we talking Edgard Varèse here? Because I am not particularly in the mood for good ole Edgard today. The band shares, though, that they’ve named themselves after the museum in lovely San Francisco–they “love to make a song that has its own soul, just like the machines they have over there at the museum.” Now that’s something I’m always in the mood for.
Hampton Roads is an interesting place because we have very few good venues, but the venues we have are pretty cool. (Then again, it could be like those guys in your college classes who aren’t really that cute, but you are tricked into thinking they are because everyone else in the class is so unattractive.) So, I was going through the list today deciding what shows are going on my calendar for the summer, and if you’re local (to me, not to Eric), you’ll be glad to know that Musée Mécanique will be playing with Laura Gibson and The Muckrakes at the Boot on June 18th! And now I will convince you why you should be there with me.
Musée Mécanique is an indie folk band, but they are not your average indie folk band. They’ve incorporated some awesome instruments, not just as fun showstopping gimmicks, but as a convincing contribution to the whole. You’ll hear minimalist influence in tracks like “Under Glass” (how ironic) as violin, oboe, cello, and others are added to the repeating guitar, building to the point of catharsis. Accordion underbelly on tracks like “Like Home” and “Sleeping In Our Clothes” make their sound incredibly distinct, and although glockenspiel has become an indie staple, when you combine it with melodica, real strings, and real wind instruments…well, it’s pretty different, right? Micah and Sean’s soft vocals fit comfortably into the ensemble, and I think this is getting to what is most impressive about the lovely Musée–every lyric, every instrument, every solo, every harmony, and every stop and start has its place. Nothing is random; nothing sounds unintentional. The result is something that I can only think to describe as whole. How often do you find music that moves you, and how often are you looking for it?
By the way, since I know all of you can’t be at the Boot w/me… they’re in Chicago on June 6th, Columbus on June 9th, DC on June 15th, and Portland on July 3rd (to name a few). Find the rest of their tour dates + details on their myspace.
The Indie Handbook 