Recalling the singer-songwriter sounds of yesterday, Weyes Blood’s Natalie Mering effortlessly dazzled in a true display of authenticity to one’s craft.
By and large a product of past times, Weyes Blood’s Natalie Mering creates music that is distinctly modern. Mering’s lush musical arrangements cradle brilliant vocal melodies that pierce with equal parts romantic intensity and sardonic wit. Her soaring delivery and heady vibrato haunt you, yet simultaneously assure you that everything will work itself out.
Weyes Blood was preceded by Fatal Jamz, another band defined by its anachronistic sound. Featuring a dizzying lead guitar performance and Alan Vega-esque antics by the lead vocalist, the band demonstrated its keen ability to create sultry pop melodies.
Beginning the set with a solo piece, she immediately captivated the audience with her powerful, effortless vocal performance. Ushering the band on stage, the small venue became a vessel of sound, filling up with a gorgeous blend of textured instruments. An aura permeated her being as she painted pained portraits of love and relationships in her lyrics. High points of the set included her performance of “Seven Words,” a meditation on moving on, and “Generation Why,” a tongue in cheek comment about society’s bleak outlook at the expense of millennials. Just as the set began to hit an emotional stride, she announced her last song as a Drugdealer cover of “Suddenly,” on which she is featured. A light-hearted tune compared to previous songs, the number left a sweet taste in the audience’s mouths.
This is a perfect reflection of Weyes Blood as an artist: With such compelling and moving themes, it is easy to become swept up in passion. She reminds us that when emotion becomes overwhelming, take a step back and realize that you don’t have to take yourself seriously all the time.
Review by: Aaron Lopez
Photos by: Soni Bhalla