by john ziegler
The Golden Birds touched down at the Cake Shop last night, along with Australia’s Royalchord. Golden (not Golden Animals or Golden Boots or Extra Golden or Golden Apples or Golden Age) Birds (not Birds of India or Birds and Batteries or Bird and Bee or Birdy Bee or Andrew Bird) are a group of West Coast sun-mellowed songwriters who are now scattered across the country. Occasionally one of the Birds will play a solo show under the band’s name as did guitarist and singer Webster McBride last night.
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Seated with an acoustic guitar he strummed out Golden Birds songs including the fan favorites “Portrait of a Pedophile as A Young Man” and “Sioux Falls.” The latter, with its narrative of awkward romance and confused emotions is the kind of song a lover might play for you after a one night stand has gone on for four or five nights. As a band, Golden Birds create adroit and atmospheric ballads whose layers of meaning unfold slowly with multiple listens. Webster McBride as Golden Birds recalls the Mountain Goats or perhaps a folk rocker in a Midwest coffee house in the early 90s, all earnest longing, witty banter, and aggressive acoustic strumming.
Royalchord, making its first New York appearance, quickly stole the audiences’ meandering attention with their sweet and melancholy dream pop. Both members of this post-modern duo (of Eliza Hiscox and Tammy Haider) sing and they each play a smattering of instruments including the glockenspiel, farfisa, pocket organ, omnichord, autoharp and everyday joints like the guitar, bass, percussion and the now ubiquitous laptop-programmed loops.
The gals played a number of tunes off their excellent newly minted album The Good Fight, including the stunning opener “Black Trash” in which drawn, emotive lyrics float over a steady percussion loop and a few acoustic chords strummed back on themselves in an eddy of sadness. All the while, the band tapped their bare feet and smiled demurely behind their microphones.
Their music isn’t all down and out though. On the country and western-tinged “Magic Hands,” a repeated four-note pattern gives way to a rhumba beat before the vocals kick in for a few measures, then wash out over a gorgeous and echo-drenched instrumental that lasts for most of the song. The infamous Cake Shop reverb was so heavy during the track that a vibrating amp shook a beer bottle to the floor.
Royalchord makes beautiful and contemplative mood music that were they not such compelling performers, would move the listener to gaze at his shoes and contemplate the nature of existence. As it is, Royalchord’s affecting music demands attention and their joyful stage presence, even when playing music at times so downbeat, keeps observers trained on their every move whether it be on a glockenspiel, laptop, or electric ukulele.
QC favorite, The Shivers was also featured on this enigmatic bill. Front man Keith Zarrielo put on his oversized senior shades and transformed into something from an unheard musical archive. When he opens his throat he channels a raw and unadulterated sound that is completely his own. If you’ve made it this far in the article, you’ll be first to know that September 6th at Mercury Lounge The Shivers will be playing a QC Presents show with an all-star lineup that will blow minds.
