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Music

CMW Reviews: Friday, March 11

JAMES VINCENT MCMORROW at the Great Hall, Friday, March 11. Rating: NNN

Armed with just an acoustic guitar and his affecting falsetto cry, a jet-lagged James Vincent McMorrow took the stage prior to Kurt Vile and J. Mascis, steadily unfurling songs from his haunting Early In The Morning album with hushed intensity. Despite the Dublin singer/songwriter’s immaculate delivery and striking lyrics, he seemed withdrawn and, perhaps, not entirely into it. Interestingly, Vile was also more subdued than expected. Blame it on the rain?

CARLA GILLIS

PAT JORDACHE at the Drake Hotel, Friday, March 11. Rating: NNN

Pat Jordache is the solo project of Montreal’s Patrick Gregoire, who some might know from hi previous work with Islands, Sister Suvi and Tune-Yards. The newer material has more of a damaged 80s soft rock vibe, compared to his older tracks which borrow more from Afro pop and dub. He had a four piece backing band for this appearance, and there was a lot of swapping instruments over the course of the set. In fact, there was a little too much fussing around between songs, which tended to kill the momentum. Felt a bit too casual for a live show.

BENJAMIN BOLES

J MASCIS at the Great Hall, Friday, March 11. Rating: NNNN

It takes a lot for a solo acoustic performance to hold the attention of a venue as big as the Great Hall, but it was no problem for J Mascis. It’s rare to catch the Dinosaur Jr leader onstage without his signature Fender Jazzmaster, but even seated with an acoustic Mascis oozed his distinctive laconic style. Alternating tracks from his upcoming debut solo record and acoustic versions of Dinosaur classics (plus, for some reason, an Edie Brickell cover), the songwriter kept the crowd energized without his usual tricks. Those looking for guitar solos weren’t disappointed, however an overworked fuzz pedal allowed him to indulge.

RICHARD TRAPUNSKI

HOLGER at the Drake Hotel, Friday, March 11. Rating: NNN

Brazil’s Holger looked thrilled to be onstage at the Drake, and it was to be won over by their enthusiasm. Their marriage of classic indie guitar rock with Brazilian rhythms and melodies sounds at times like a more dance floor friendly Vampire Weekend. They don’t really have a defined frontman, as most of the members seemed to be singing most of the time. They’re a very fun live party band, but in some ways they felt a little too eager to please, and got a bit cheeseball here and there.

BENJAMIN BOLES

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