On-Time Concert Reviews #4: Vetiver at the Attic

July 8, 2007 - The Attic, Santa Cruz

I just saw Vetiver. They left me feeling very kindly disposed toward them as human beings. However, they also very nearly put me the fuck to sleep.

I can't describe the type of music they're playing very well. It's like music that The Band might have played - that style. Or maybe, it's like music that The Opening Band for The Band might have played, because they didn't sound like The Band. But they were in that sort of musical tradition. Kind of rootsy?

S_____ said she they reminded her of the Dead, but no way! Not at all. Firstly, they didn't sound anyway near that bad. Secondly, they kept their songs pretty concise, pretty focused - no sprawling jammy wankfests gumming up your earspace!

But the songs - or at least, 90% of them - they were so damn MELLOW. It was too much for me! I'm too old for that, I need songs that ROCK.

There was one song that rocked. It was the bluesy one that S_____ played for me on her iPod when I asked "hey, could I at least hear something from this band we're seeing on Sunday?" And she played this one song, and it was good. And then they played it, and it was GREAT! It was called "You May Be Blue." It had this awesomely descending minor pentatonic chime of a guitar figure, with a thomping, snarly bass and drum track that just hits you and keeps right on driving. Nice. InTENSE.

The thing is though, with that song - they hit it so hard live that I had to hear the iPod version again on the way home. And bummer! The studio track is way more laid back.

But it's still good. If they could ditch the hippy acoustic crap and fill up a couple albums with more of the fuzzy snarl that they packed into that track live, I'd even buy every album on from them from there!

But what the heck. That may not be on their list of priorities. They need to follow their own dreams and muses. Not mine.

The detached critic in me must admit they executed a decent show. It's not their fault they're up there all Darjeeling, and I'm sitting in the crowed arms folded: "EARL GREY."