I was impressed, but not surprised, by the art-punk band Parlor Walls‘ first full-length, Opposites, released on Northern Spy earlier this year. If you’ve observed the output of Alyse Lamb, from her time in the more pop-driven EULA through Parlor Walls’ Cut EP through today, you observe a consistent upward refinement of craft and a broadening of musical palette. If EULA was the high-energy friend you want to party with, Parlor Walls is her darker, more mysterious older sibling, perhaps a little less approachable, but with more to offer when you do.
This set at the Gutter, hosted by Gimme Tinnitus, made a strong case for the powers of Lamb and her band, now a trio that consists of newest member Jason Shelton on clarinet and Chris Mulligan on drums/synth. If you compare the band’s second-ever show, which we covered, you’ll notice the tighter, more forceful quality of the newer songs right away. Lamb has always been a compelling stage presence, and Opposites provides her the material to let that shine, with songs that brim with a very current type of anxiety. Lamb’s use of repetition recalls some of the more straightforward punk that lives among her influences, but the brooding, barely-contained music behind her gives it a darker tone. You could argue that now is no time for party music, even if there’s a party. If that’s true, that makes Parlor Walls the right kind of guest.
I recorded this set with Schoeps MK4V microphones from an optimal spot in the room. The sound is excellent. Enjoy!
Download the complete set: [FLAC/ALAC/MP3]
Stream the complete set:
Parlor Walls
2017-07-22
The Gutter
Brooklyn, NY USA
Exclusive download hosted at nyctaper.com
Recorded and produced by acidjack
Schoeps MK4V (at SBD, DFC, PAS)>KCY>Z-PFA>Zoom F8>24bit/48kHz WAV>Adobe Audition CC (compression, limiter)>Izotope Ozone 5 (effects, EQ)>Audacity 2.0.5 (track, amplify, downsample, dither)>FLAC ( level 8 )
Tracks
01 Crime Engine Failure
02 Play Opposites
03 My Heart Already Knows
04 Cover Me
05 Me Me My
06 [tuning]
07 Mind Your Own Business [Delta 5]
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