Bellman Barker

I’m pretty easily sold on a troupe of boys in skinny jeans and handlebar mustaches. I’ve seen Bellman Barker perform a few times, and I’ve never been let down. I arrived about halfway through their thirty minute set (bummed!) that ended with Last Name and No Lions Allowed. No Lions Allowed was the highlight for what I heard of their performance. It starts off slowly, naturally provoking some very compromising facial expressions and the chorus is equal parts pop and sing along indie rock.

Mugison

I didn’t know much about Mugison before Tuesday night. So, like all good journalists, I Googled him. My first class research prepared me for a spastastic display of electronic jams mixed with eccentric guttural noises by way of Powerbook G4. What I got was, well, way better than that.

Apparently he has evolved from a one-man show into a three-piece set. But he could only afford to bring along David, his synthesizer/harmonizer/back up singer/fellow Icelandic speaker. So, we got a two-man show. Not to be worried – he still performed his set complete with electronic “substitutes” for the lacking member.

Mugison is indeed an off-center blues powerhouse. Powered by what, you ask? Powered by a little bit of rock, a touch of folk and a whole lot of awesome. His lyrics are snarky, sexy, tragic, unforgiving and funny. Mugison leads the show on his guitar, which is entirely acoustic, and supports songs from his toolbox of electronic everything (big band brass, bells, a choir of guitars and voices). It’s the kind of rock/blues/folk/electronic/whatever that reminds you that no matter how rough today was, you still want to fight someone.

And the guy really puts on a show. A forty-five minute set, to be exact.

Highlights of the night included:

To the Bone: a jealousy song about frustration for a fickle lover. He improvised a “funky version” with a captivating, heart wrenching guitar solo.

Mugiboogie: He wants to get it on with a stranger who gives him the sexy eye. Mugiboogie has a big band sound with raspy vocals, and (literally) stomping beats.  If my eyes were closed, I would have thought there were fifteen people on stage. It has a glam rock presentation (aggressive, yet danceable beat and over the top vocals).

Jesus is a Good Name to Moan: from their religious catalogue, this song featured back and forth moaning between Mugison and David. Not to mention that this song is about inquiring why his lady shouts Jesus’ name when she orgasms instead of his own. This is the song that made me think, even though this is weird, it is pretty effing good.

And just like that, it was over.

The crowd didn’t want it to end. He finished and everyone stayed and just watched him for about thirty-four seconds–hoping he would pick up his guitar again. He broke the awkward silence by telling everyone to buy the CD.

check it:

Bellman Barker

Mugison

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