The Eagle Has Landes

Alexi Murdoch (w/Dawn Landes)
Rock and Roll Hotel
April 21, 2009

First, this is my worst review title ever. You try and work something out of "Dawn Landes."

Nepotism alert: Sacklunch's cousin Josh plays guitar for Dawn Landes, so that's basically who we were there to see. Even Sack's parents came along for this one. Fun fact: Sacklunch's dad looks like a cross between Josef Stalin and Tom Skerrit. Somewhat less so since he shaved his Ned Flanders-style mustache, but at any moment he'll either ship you off to Kolyma or give you a motivational talk about how you're the best fighter jock in the whole goddamned Navy, even if you do wear goddamn fruity tighty-whities instead of boxers.

Dawn Landes plays a nearly form of country and western. Think Lurleen Lumpkin, but with 31% less twang. It's pretty good music but like most bands we see, I feel like it's better listened to on the weekend when you're reading the New York Times (she goes straight for Arts & Leisure, I pick up the Magazine) rather than stuffed into a crowded venue. I wish I could make a portable sink to take with me to these shows so I could do the dishes while the band plays, so I can re-create that mellow weekend vibe. Maybe do some dusting and vacuuming as well. Here's an interesting YouTube I found of her covering "Young Folks," by Peter, Bjorn and John, in bluegrass style:



Landes would make a great manic pixie dream girl, and she also seemed to have really small feet, so small that I couldn't figure out how she wasn't toppling over. Sack's cousin played some good ax--I kept a keen eye out for mistakes (minor falls instead of major lifts, mashed barre chords, things of that nature that only a Sorbonne-trained musician like myself would catch) but didn't see anything to raise my hackles. Also he came and spoke to us after the set so we looked like big shots, which was cool.

So I left after Landes played, so I missed Alexi Murdoch. I will note that the Rock and Roll Hotel was packed--packed!--and I don't think it was for Landes, as good as she was. So there's an indicator of how popular Alexi Murdoch is. Apparently he spent the last two years in the Himalayas. Sacklunch did something similar after college and when he got back his Jew-fro had grown really long and nappy, and he looked like Dred Scott. Anyway, I didn't stick around for Alexi as it was late on a Tuesday night. The only song I really know by him--"Orange Sky'--reminds me of something they'd play on Gossip Girl, after one of the girls has found out her father has just been indicted for being involved up to his elbows in the Rwandan genocide, and she's gone to her room to brood and reflect on how unfair life can be for the young and the prosperous. That is to say, if you can listen to Alexi Murdoch for 90 minutes, you're a better man than I am.

"Orange Sky," Alexi Murdoch


Did any of our readers stay for Alexi Murdoch? Am I being unfair? Let me know in the comments, I'm curious. I'm a big enough man to admit when I'm wrong.