Something Like Sound

There is a sticky note that has been on the wall behind my desk since January. It simply says “Annuals, Feb 28, Hi-Dive, $10.” I can finally remove it, now that the anticipation of the coming concert has come and gone; the Annuals came to town and have now moved further along in their winter tour. The Saturday night show was another highly hyped show, receiving nods from Westword and The Onion. As I arrived at the Hi-Dive, the night of bluesy-folk-rock began.

First up was a group called What Laura Says, from Tempe, Arizona. Their music is best described in this way: Imagine the Beatles with their vintage guitars and keyboards. Now, make the fab-four into a quintet of long-haired jam-rocker types. Throw in some inventive percussion, add a touch of bluegrass and you’ve got the What Laura Says set from Saturday night.

Perhaps one of the highlights of the evening was the young and talented Jessica Lea Mayfield. On tour with a band that features her own brother on upright bass, the 19-year-old Mayfield is living the musician’s dream. Her sound is blues and folk, with some classic influences such as Buddy Holly. Playing through her set, Mayfield’s distinct soft voice reminded me of listening to a Billie Holiday record; it was so incredibly blue. Not only was her delivery blue, but so were her lyrics. Mixing in some old-fashioned country style with a touch of extra reverb, Mayfield had the entire house enthralled. As she left the stage I personally felt a little down from the blueness of the set, ready for some more upbeat tunes.

Finally it was time for the headliners. After missing their co-headline tour with Manchester Orchestra last year, I was

excited to finally see the Raleigh, NC, group in action. I will say that the Annuals certainly are an inventive bunch. After setting up the stage for the six-person band, the show began with all of the lights turning off. Suddenly colorful flashes of light filled the room as various parts of clear drum kits rigged with LEDs flashed in unison with the drumming. From there on out, the Annuals put on a spectacular set. Playing heavily from their latest release Such Fun, the Raleigh, NC, based-band churned out song after song, each with a bigger sound than the last. Singer Adam Baker was right on that night, hitting the notes with a passionate intensity. My personal favorites were “Brother” and “Confessor.” Overall, the Annuals unique indie-pop sound played well live, better than on their recordings.