It’s almost unprecedented for a band like Parquet Courts to achieve mass acclaim, but they did and without really trying. That’s what’s always been so striking about the Courts; their organic virtuosity. Even in the face of media saturation, abrupt fame and musical advances, these DIY punkers retain a balanced stage rapport comparable to seasoned rock veterans.
Garage-purists of varying age and disposition flocked to La Sala Rossa December 8th for an intimate sampling of Parquet Courts’ flavourful breed of cow-punk meets Americana. The New York based outfit fashion cathartic anthems out of relatively unimpressive, near perplexing punk melodies. In live performance, it’s really the execution that matters and Parquet Courts had that principle on lock.
Thanks to a handful of lauded albums, the promising quartet took a rising tide of progress and forced it into submission. The band’s formidable studio album, Light Up Gold garnered immediate praise on the blogosphere. In 2014, that initial success flourished even further with the confident and poised, Sunbathing Animal. In the latter half of 2014, the band released Content Nausea under an alternative moniker, Parkay Quarts.
The performance itself effortlessly delineated the studio material. This comes to no surprise, given punk-rock’s naturally forthright expressionism. Nearly every track coupled a compact, schizophrenic narrative with clench-teethed aggression. Parquet Courts are intelligent and pronounced but unafraid to get down and dirty if the situation permits. The band’s southern zested foundation shared an uncanny resemblance to several genre defining luminaries. Their sonic scope forges an interplay between Television’s asymmetrical musicianship and David Byrne’s neurotic lyricism. This technical efficiency intertwined seamlessly every step of the way. In short, Parquet Courts’ endearing appeal was in full effect.
It’s evident that Montreal’s communal synergy gave way to this vibe. Everyone was unified. Though occasionally falling short, this unifying endeavor delivered plenty of titanic punk jams. “Borrowed Time” embraced the band’s pop sensibility with an indelible guitar hook. “Light Up Gold II” touted an infectious groove and irresistible chorus. “Sunbathing Animal”, the band’s gold-standard pinnacle, honed in on a more fleshed-out sound; driving a tensioned chord progression at an unrelenting velocity. The ensuing calamity left little to no breathing room in the mosh pit. Compelling melodies riddled with angular solo breaks were also the norm.
The undisputed focal point however was Parquet Courts’ clever utilization of feedback. Dual guitarists Andrew Savage and Austin Brown twiddled with amplifiers and microphones to create walls of piercing feedback. The cacophony was often used as a means of melody.
The brief opening track “No, No, No!” and the self-indulgent “Monastic Living” were a little too dull and outstretched to keep audience members engaged. It’s easy to forgive these minor setbacks. When things started to get jagged around the edges, the music spoke for itself.
One thing is for sure, Parquet Courts worked what they had to offer. Frenzied, yet technically precise, Parquet Courts have an extremely polished back catalogue that begs the vigor of an eager audience. While invigorating melodies were in abundant supply, the quartet should cut out the more sluggish material. But as I said before, Parquet Courts are a band that don’t really try. .
Review – Calvin Cashen
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