For the release of their second full-length, Almanac, Brooklyn's Widowspeak descended upon Manhattan's Mercury Lounge for an intimate performance of their latest bout with greatness. Highlighting tracks from the new album, Molly Hamilton and company unleashed breath-taking renditions of their classic style of breathy vocals and dream inducing guitar riffs. New tracks "Dyed in the Wool", "Storm King" and the live debut of "Thick as Thieves" were coated in heavy reverb, probably indebted to a mix of Television style guitars with the cries of Fleetwood Mac, and the compact sound of "The Dark Age' exploded with shoegaze power that spoke volumes about the song's magnitude and the band's songwriting capabilities. Older tracks "In the Pines" and the forever gorgeous "Gun Shy" were particular triumphs of the evening and while the newer tunes don't necessarily bring the group to a new level, there are always certain tracks that will leave one breathless. At this point, it seems irrelevant to mention the obvious influence of Mazzy Star, however even the Galaxie 500 inspiration is quite apparent through the group's hazed instrumentation. Seeing the band transform from a three-piece, to a four-piece, to tonight's quintet, has been a true pleasure as the band's aesthetic has truly erupted over the past few years. Their take on modern dream-pop is clearly in a class of their own. Despite the still noticeable stage fright of Molly, the group shimmers in their own glow of sun-soaked euphoria. Their encore was the lone "Harsh Realm" which welcomed even more praise from the hometown showcase (cries for Molly were forever abundant) and a bashful thank you brought the evening to an end.
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