Clap your hands!

On Wednesday night I went to see Clap Your Hands Say Yeah at the 9:30 Club. It was certainly the hipster event of the week because the tight jeans and horn-rimmed glasses were out in full effect at the show. Once again the 9:30 Club was sold out which seems to be happening more and more often. The shows also appear to be selling out faster which just didn't happen even a few years ago. It's good to know that more people are getting into music and going out to shows but I miss those days when the club would be at about 2/3 capacity. However I preminisce no return to the salad days.

Anyway I was very impressed with CYHSY. I've had the album for a little while now and it was very hyped last year making several critics' year-end "best of" lists. I didn't feel that strongly about it but there are some really nice tracks with a lot of good ideas. Live however, so much more of the album came to life that I was pleasantly surprised to find myself digging songs that I usually skip over on the album. The band utilizes a lot of driving beats and heavy rhythms layered over the melodic content. When you seem them live (especially in a place like the 9:30 with its incredible sound system) the rhythms are amplified creating a pulsing energy that really sets the show off.

The person I was with had never even heard the band before I gave her the album earlier this week. She gave it a lukewarm response noting the singer's nasally vocals but even she had the same reaction I did. There's just something about live music that will take an album from 2-D to 3-D and really change your perspective on it. So, I am now much more inclined to buy into the CYHSY hype given their ability to put on a "reallygoodshow."

-Ed Sullivan