Review: Efterklang at Mercury Lounge, NYC

Efterklang - Mirador from Rumraket on Vimeo.

The Danish band Efterklang first came to my attention as a recommendation on my eMusic account. I took a listen to the sample clips from their 2007 release, Parades, and I liked what I heard: playfully melancholy melodies, vocals ranging from intimate whispers to belted-out multi-part harmonies, and a broad palette of sonic textures produced by electronic and acoustic instruments. Still, I couldn't commit to buying the album that day...I was interested, but I wasn't smitten.

My second rendezvous with Efterklang was last night, when they played NYC's Mercury Lounge. I missed the first two acts (Oh Land and Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers), but I was just in time for Peter Broderick's solo set. Broderick, a multi-instrumentalist, built compositions of looped samples. He'd play a few bars on guitar - or violin, or piano - and loop it, then play another part over that sample. Most of the songs were sparse, incorporating two or three instrumental layers, but on occasion he built sound over sound to intense effect. Broderick is also a member of Efterklang's line-up for this tour.

Efterklang's live show had some surprises. The elements that I liked from the album were present - the textures, the melodies, the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink instrumentation - but the balance was tipped from the delicate, lovely end of the spectrum over to the noisy, joyful, anxious, hedonistic side. There wasn't any loss of quality control; even the a capella vocal harmonies of Cutting Ice to Snow were impressively tight, and this at the end of the night. But I was most surprised by a phenomenon I have never seen at a NYC indie rock concert before: people were moving and smiling. Leaving the show, I felt happy. So that merits my heartfelt recommendation, and an album purchase, too.

Efterklang is playing a few more shows in North America. Info, videos, and free mp3 downloads are available on their website.


Efterklang - Caravan from Rumraket on Vimeo.

Society for Procrastination Research: Report #1

The Kappa, a Japanese water-sprite. Image from Wikimedia Commons

The Society of Procrastination Research is an international collective dedicated to art and science of procrastination. It has one official member (me), but I like to think that most people are members in spirit. From time to time, I will share my procrastination techniques, tools, and insights for the edification of the SPR's silent members. This is the SPR's first report.

Wikipedia's "List of monsters"

It's one of those things that I never knew I needed. Not until I stumbled upon it one day and wasted the better part of an afternoon reading about Medieval English Heraldic Beasts. The Afanc, the Cockatrice, and the Basilisk turned me to stone - at least, that's my excuse for my lack of productivity. From Á Bao A Qu to Zzzax, the list describes beings found in mythology, folklore, film, literature, and video games from around the world.

"How does something come out of nothing?"

Echoes from the Beginning from World Science Festival on Vimeo.

Scientists and journalists discuss the Big Bang and time at the '08 World Science Festival. There are more videos available on their website; the clips are all short, fascinating excerpts from panel discussions.

The 2009 World Science Festival hits NYC June 10, and concludes on June 14. I didn't make it to any events last year, but it's on my to-do list for this summer.