Tonight was one for the books.
The Fox Cabaret was packed last night with young musical enthusiasts, some for the opener @, an enchanting art-folk duo from Baltimore and self-proclaimed “SEO Wet Dream,” as well as YHWH Nailgun, the latest, greatest and strangest post-punk four-piece from New York City.
While both bands make use of abbreviation in their names, their music could not be more different. Still, there did seem to be a near-equal amount of praise from the audience for both acts. I would wager the further you walk off the mainstream path, the more you begin to appreciate all types of good music. Both @ and YHWH Nailgun are doing something extremely different from everyone else in the current musical landscape. The connecting factor: both of these bands seem like aliens who have come to Earth to share with us their musical messages.
@ are comprised of singer-songwriters/multi-instrumentalists Victoria Rose and Stone Filipczak. While their recorded music is plentiful with lush instrumentation, their live sound is stripped back to their two acoustic guitars, and the occasional flute and clarinet. Their songs bring medieval harpsichord whimsy into a modern art-folk context, creating a sound that feels simultaneously fresh and historic.
Hearing their voices together is an enchanting experience. Rose’s softer timbre meshes beautifully with Filipczak’s twangy, slightly emo harmonies. They feel like a duo meant to be. Their closer “Autosmile,” off their upcoming record, is one of the best songs I’ve ever heard. Their sound is both old and new, alien and familiar. Hard to describe. A must-see — the next time they’ll be in town will be for their own headline show at the Fox Cabaret on February 20.
If @ are medieval, YHWH Nailgun is prehistoric; and yet, they are also from the future. I don’t think I’ve ever felt more like Chuck Berry’s cousin in Back to the Future, getting on the phone to tell him about Johnny B. Goode. I tried to play YHWH Nailgun for my mother before the show, and she immediately decided it was terrible. YHWH Nailgun is the music Marty McFly warned us about when he said “your kids are gonna love it.” They most certainly do.
YHWH Nailgun captures whatever the feelings of today are — aggressive, yet contained. Minimal, yet humungous. Our dystopian technological present, fused with the instinct for something more essential, primitive and transcendent. Jack Tobias’s harsh industrial synthesizers and Sam Pickard’s rapid-fire roto-tom drums, along with Saguiv Rosenstock’s create pad-like guitar sounds — powered by one of the most intricate pedalboards I have ever seen — lay the foundation for Zack Borzone’s guttural, ghoulish moans. Their name is quite fitting for their sound; Borzone’s voice and demeanour make me wonder if he’s been dead, living in a cave, and recently resurrected to go on tour with his disciples.
Their sound is unlike anything you’ve heard before, and they are absolutely incredible live. When making heavy music, there can be a temptation to create an unintelligible wall of sound, as it is so easy to do with modern guitar and synthesizer technology. Many people love this approach, but what I think connects so intimately with YHWH Nailgun’s fanbase is the restraint.
The sound at the venue was also top-notch. Each member’s contribution was coming through clearly in the mix.
The crowd’s mix of tantric dancing and moshing was the byproduct of the band’s relentless bursts of energy — each song ranging anywhere from 35 seconds to three minutes. They are anything but a jam band; each moment was curated and calculated. Surprisingly, many in the crowd were even singing along to the lyrics — Borzone’s lyrics are often poetic and evoke metaphysical concepts, but are ultimately unintelligible unless you speak goblin.
While each member operates in a completely unique way, this band would not be possible without Pickard’s drumming. The roto-toms he’s attached to his kit are the foundation of the band’s sound, often filling the space when there is no clear melody or bassline. The tightness of his drumming is hard to express; you’ll just have to see them live!