Review of The Garden Party with EXITMUSIC

It was a dark and chilly night as the select few who won our Garden Party giveaway and friends of the band gathered together in Hollywood last Saturday, December 13th. EXITMUSIC (all one word) performed at a super secret locale, and no amount of money or strategically-worded Googling would get you an address to the where-and-when. The only way in to this uniquely intimate performance was through sheer assertiveness.

EXITMUSIC set the stage with “The Fathers Estate”, a dreamy, convoluted tune from their 2007 release, The Decline of the West. Consisting solely of husband, wife, and drummer (namely, Devon Church, Aleksa Palladino, and Dave McFarland) it was a treat to hear the music come together in the same manner as their LP recordings – if only sans the thrill and standard staple of a climate-controlled venue. The band followed along steadily with tracks from Decline - “The Following Winds” with its rolling beat; and “Slow Parade”, a pseudo-waltz, pseudo-march laced with a breathy, throaty approach that would make Karen O blush. Aleksa’s singing style proves to be that of a veteran performer who has earned her wings as it were, taking to the microphone and her instruments with consensual mastery. Coupled with Devon’s vocal and instrumental harmonies, their sound is a symbiotic blend of male and female, warmth and cold, dark and light, silence and poignant sound.

Throwing in a couple of newer songs not widely available -  “The Distance”, “The Chains”, the haunting albeit inspiring “Sparks of Light” – as well as a tangible Q&A session all contributed to an evening well-rounded in personalization. There also was somewhat of a lesson on what would seem to be blatantly simple: how, when thoughtfully executed, abstract interpretations of  human thought, love, or solitudinous existence never really get old with time. With all the technology in music, the beauty of their performance came down to the ability to showcase ones rhythmic, melodic ability.

Keep an eye out for the videos coming to BeatCrave in January.

Photos by David McFarland