Lake Street Dive’s “Bad Self Portraits”
Upon occasion I get salutations from Saving Country Music readers singing my praises for turning them onto one such band or another. A great artist or band can make me look like some kind of damn genius when really I did little more than drop a name. It’s the artists that deserve the credit, and the only genius on my part is simply taking the time to pay attention, and knowing where to look.
At the risk of giving away one of my trade secrets, one of the most surefire resources for discovering great music over the years has been the annual gathering at the Pickathon Festival outside of Portland every summer. That is where I was first wowed by Lake Street Dive going on two years ago now in a performance I later recapped as resulting in “the biggest ovation I think I have ever seen for a live performance, possibly ever. I was afraid the floor was going to cave in.”
Lake Street Dive was invited to return to Pickathon this last year as well, but not as the unknown from the east coast that curious music fans were looking forward to catch a glimpse of, but a band that was on the brink of blowing up, and during this year’s festival Lake Street Dive specifically mentioned how their crazy ride had begun on those Pickathon grounds one year before. Now they’ve released one of the most anticipated records in 2014, and their name recently found its way onto the cover of Rolling Stone as “This year’s best new band.”
Lake Street Dive is a neotraditional, throwback group that blends elements of jazz, roots, Motown, and other smoke-filled, bluesy and soulful influences that both awaken the spirit in classic American music while still cleverly residing within its own little niche of the current zeitgeist.
You can’t talk Lake Street Dive without first talking about their leader, one Rachael Price—the stunning New England Conservatory product that started her life’s journey in Nashville’s principal suburb of Hendersonville, and whose name deserves to be mentioned in the exclusive company of contemporary music’s leading ladies worthy of praise for both artistic talent and intangible presence that makes ordinary humans into masters of awakening hearts. Price has the voice of a Staple Singer in the visage of a movie star, and she breaks hearts with the ease invading hordes pillage counties.
But there’s a reason this band isn’t called Rachael Price and the something something’s. Unlike a band like The Alabama Shakes fronted by the big personality of Brittney Howard, Lake Street Dive doesn’t endear themselves to you from their underdog status. Guitar/ trumpet player Mike Olson, bass player Bridget Kearney, and drummer Mike Calabrese all are grand aficionados at their own respective disciplines (in fact I might name Bridget Kearney as one of the best bass players out there right now), and they all aid Rachael Price with splendid and effortless harmony vocals.
Aside from the style of Lake Street Dive which is so immediately inviting to culture thirsty ears looking for music that marks that nexus between substance and pleasurable escape, their music has this wonderful, natural way of achieving excellent arcs in both the story and music that in the space of a three or four minutes have you buying into the characters, cheering or mourning for them, while the music peaks and craters in uncanny parallels with the stirring narratives.
I won’t lie, I was a little worried when I heard Bad Self Portraits was going to be an album featuring only original material from the band. Not that I doubted this four-piece could pull it off, but they do such splendid, unique covers like the five featured on their 2012 EP Fun Machine. I appreciate that it’s time for Lake Street Dive to stand on their own two feet, but it’s also important to feature their best material, original or cover, especially now that the world is watching to see if this is truly the year’s “best new band.” And I’ll be damned if there’s not one song on Bad Self Portraits to second guess. They set the bar high for themselves, clear the mark, and stick the landing.
Bad Self Portraits has songs on it many others will be covering on their own in due course, including maybe some of the style setters that influenced the band’s sound. Their key is peering beyond the surface of classic popular music to the bones beneath, to borrow and refer to, but not steal, and then build their own signature sound around that framework to make something both modern, classic, and timeless.
And something else they deserve kudos for is not including the usual hipster pretentiousness or irony in this project or their show, which is so indicative and almost expected from so many young, left-of-country bands these days. But I have to say, the one big second guess I have on this album is the production on the song “Bobby Tanqueray”, which on it’s own is a marvelous, instant classic of a song, but was sullied by an unfortunate, crunchy guitar tone that doesn’t fit the time or mood of the song, and some overly-loud overdub work that didn’t pan out like one would envision for this song when hearing it live. The song is so good it endures, but this was not the song to saddle with silly studio wankery. The song “Seventeen” also fell a little short, despite a solid premise and performance.
The success and interest in Lake Street Dive means the looking back in music to times when music carried more meaning is still in full swing and continues to nip at the fringes of popular consciousness. Lake Street Dive is a classy, smart, yet accessible and fun band that will help instill a new measure of substance in American music at a time when it is most needed.
1 3/4 of 2 guns up.
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March 2, 2014 @ 11:48 am
I’m becoming a really big Lake Street Dive Fan. Saw them just a few days ago in Asheville and I really wonder if that’s the last chance I”ll have to see them in a small intimate venue. They’re blowing up. Great live show.
March 2, 2014 @ 11:52 am
I became aware of them a couple of months ago when I was watching the concert special: “Another Day, Another Time” – Celebrating the music of Inside Llewyn Davis.
That concert special a real treat. I highly recommend it (still available as on-demand if you have showtime – might still be being replayed on Showtime as well). With each act, you see them in the studio with T Bone Burnett and then you see them perform live at the at the concert New York concert. I was wondering why T Bone always lights a match book each time someone starts recording a song but I couldn’t hunt down anything on the reason behind it.
My favorite discovery from that special was The Milk Carton Kids (they have something special – heck I just like watching Kenneth Pattengal play guitar):
http://www.npr.org/event/music/156679789/the-milk-carton-kids-tiny-desk-concert
March 3, 2014 @ 10:29 am
Great movie!!! I must admit to watching it an embarassing number of times.
Lake Street was stunningly good!!! So envious.
FYI, T-Bone is burning a chip Santo Palo wood.
And Kenneth Pattengal is an amazing player. He seems like he knows when to play ferociously without over-playing.
March 2, 2014 @ 1:30 pm
I first saw Lake Street Dive at McCabe’s Guitar Shop in Santa Monica back in 2011 as an opening act for Boston’s jazzgrass Joy Kills Sorrow with Bridget Kearney playing bass for both bands. I was blown away by the vocals of Rachael Price (who’s first name is probably misspelled in many reviews, right Triggerman?…lol) and enjoyed the Lake Street Dive set far more than the artsy farsty Joy Kills Sorrow.
Lake Street Dive was invited back as an opening act at McCabe’s in 2012 but I was sadly unable to make the show. I’m guessing the odds of ever getting to see them at McCabe’s again is pretty slim these days, and that’s a shame. Musically they do kick ass and take no prisoners…
March 2, 2014 @ 2:31 pm
As a bassist myself, I admit bias, but Bridget Kearney was the star of both vids.
And thanks for putting this kind of stuff out there. I had actually checked them out a couple of weeks ago after finding out they were on the bill for Grace Potter’s festival.
Good stuff.
March 2, 2014 @ 7:16 pm
Lake Street Dive is great, they were on Letterman the other week too, Dave came out after they played and kept saying “This is what music is suppose to sound like, can you guys play every night”
March 2, 2014 @ 8:15 pm
Great find! I feel like I am late to the party but these guys are awesome. Ms. Price has an amazing voice. I know your first love is traditional country but you have turned me on to some of my favorite bands outside of that genre, and I appreciate it.
March 2, 2014 @ 8:23 pm
Based on your review, I downloaded “Bad Self Portraits.” Although it’s not for me at this time, I forwarded your review to people I know who will love this album. I wish my taste in music was this refined, but my ears are drawn to music less adult contemporary and polished. I need my music that goes down like Wild Turkey 101, not a Cosmopolitan.
March 2, 2014 @ 9:17 pm
If it ain’t for you, well I understand that and I can’t argue someone else’s taste. I agree that they’re not Wild Turkey 101 but I don’t think they’re a Cosmo either. Maybe an Old Fashioned or a Single Malt Scotch?
March 2, 2014 @ 9:29 pm
Yeah, I understand compared to some music this might have a swanky air, but definitely not cosmopolitan.
March 2, 2014 @ 9:54 pm
Cosmo was an exaggerated comparison. My fault. I don’t want to disrespect the music.
March 2, 2014 @ 9:27 pm
Adult contemporary is the kiss of death for me. I’ve listened to the two songs hear and the samples on Amazon and they don’t strike me as adult contemporary. To me, it’s more like classic soul music.
March 2, 2014 @ 10:26 pm
Based on the videos posted above, this strikes me as jazz played with guitar. As is the case with jazz in general, it does not have a strong emotional impact on me but it does serve as good music to relax to.
March 3, 2014 @ 1:27 pm
Both songs are great for dancing around the house. Upbeat and sunny.
March 4, 2014 @ 2:17 pm
the first time i saw them was on the the Colbert report and have caught them on a couple of other show since I think the Rachael Price has a great voice but the sound of the band its self is not my thing i think i would like them better if there sound was closer to the style of Diana Krall
March 4, 2014 @ 7:07 pm
My wife can’t stop listening to lake street dive, it’s interfering with my Bob Wayne listening marathons.
March 7, 2014 @ 10:33 am
I’ve been hearing the title track on ‘The World Cafe`’ quite a bit lately; it took a while to grow on me, but now it’s probably one of my favorite new songs. 😀
After checking out live performances of this album’s other tracks on YouTube, I must say they have a pretty fun sound (I especially enjoyed “Stop Your Crying,” “Rabid Animal” “Use Me Up”).