On tour for their second album, Such Fun, Annuals have been touring the country with a concert lineup that includes two strong supporting acts. Saturday, February 21st, Annuals, Jessica Lea Mayfield, and What Laura Says stopped in San Francisco to perform at Slim’s.
Before the six-membered Annuals took the stage with their own brand of indie chamber pop, the opening bands kindled the audience. The first band, What Laura Says, opened the show with a sound that blends a jam band with indie rock. All five members are very skilled musicians, even the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink percussionist, Jacob Woolsey, who played jars, vases, cans, and typical percussion instruments like a xylophone and tambourine. Guitarists James Mulhern and Danny Goldbond – the latter who also played a Rhodes piano – understand the intricacies of jazz voicings while Mitch Freedom, who played a Hofner-style bass, solidified the band’s pop sound with his playing.
Download “July 23” (mp3) from Thinks and Feels.
The second act to take the stage was Jessica Lea Mayfield. After the electrified rock of What Laura Says, it took a song or two for the audience’s ears to adjust to Mayfield’s more minimal folk-oriented sound. Once adjusted, Mayfield’s darker love songs was scrappily beautiful when juxtaposed with the first band. Mayfield, who has sung vocals on The Black Keys’ Attack & Release and Dan Auerbach’s new solo album, Keep It Hid, filled out her band with her brother, David, on bass and guitarist Richie Kirkpatrick, who plays bass and guitar with David Vandervelde, and drummer Anne Lillis. After playing electric bass on the first handful of songs, David Mayfield both bowed and plucked an upright bass and was animated with his movements, bending the big instrument over and even playing on his back with the bulky wooden instrument on top of him. The combination of upright bass and Kirkpatrick’s guitar style, which includes numerous effects to create an atmospheric and swelling tone, add an ethereal and rich quality to Mayfield’s accompaniment. Often times, David Mayfield would lean in to add vocals and the bluegrass roots of the band were highlighted in those harmonies.
Download “Kiss Me Again” (mp3) from With Blasphemy So Heartfelt.
Finally, the Annuals took the stage. Adam Baker, the songwriter and front man for the band, lists his influences to include Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, and The Beach Boys. The six-piece band creates layers of instrumentation make the collective sound transcend the description of influences. The electric guitar and pedal steel playing of Kenny Florence mirrors the moving lines of Anna Spence’s keyboard. And Zak Oden enhances both the tonal and rhythmic attributes of the band by switching between guitar and the stage’s second full drum kit. Three of the band members also add rich harmonies to the music. As his influences suggest, there is a level of acoustic pop in Baker’s songs, but his vocal delivery also adds a Brit pop quality to the music. Overall, the very diverse and skillful band produces a strong, pop oriented sound that was a cap to a strong bill of bands.
Download “Confessor” (mp3) from Such Fun.
Annuals official site
Annuals on myspace
Jessica Lea Mayfield on myspace
What Laura Says official site
What Laura Says on myspace
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