In support of their fourth album, In Mind, Real Estate wrapped up their tour with Frankie Cosmos at Brooklyn Steel for a Sunday evening full of pristine pleasure and grace.
Over the course of four records, New Jersey's Real Estate have covered the market for elegantly crafted indie-rock. Their music is perfectly pleasing and provides easy comfort for anyone looking for solid, guitar-based tunes that never skirt breezy melodies and serene harmonies. Even after some line-up changes, the band can still play with utter perfection and the ability to make their jobs look as easy and simple as possible. With Matt Mondanile no longer in the picture, Julian Lynch has really opened up the band's sound for an airy and flexible tone. Their latest record, In Mind, might be the first record in their discography that doesn't push the envelope in terms of a wider sound, but it once again encapsulates the band's stunning charm and their conquest to create elegant, yet simple numbers that can perfectly soundtrack the most essential of times. Martin Courtney's lyrics are profound, yet subtle and show his maturity as an artist growing with each album. To say that each record has a distinct feel does not feel like the most accurate portrayal of the band, but it certainly allows for their shows to display a career-spanning set of songs that each feel equally apart of the same breath of air. Warming up with some newer tunes, the band eased in to a blast of an evening that saw the crowd easily engage and feel reminiscent for simple, and pure nostalgia that these songs are sure to surface. Still, it was the middle of the set when "It's Real", "Talking Backwards", and "Green Aisles" really cemented the band's prestige over the evening. Sure, on the surface a Real Estate song may seem simple, but the intricacies and complexities that come with each track really highlight just how far this band has come in such a short career. Guitars burst into technicolor magic and are anchored by the band's propulsive rhythm section showcasing a group of individuals so tightly knit that they can turn each song at the drop of a hat and not once fall out of syncopation. Over time, the added textures of melodic synths has only increased the appeal of the band and it's no wonder that their idealistic portrayal of suburban living has permeated their crisp, sanguine sound. As the band has aged, their journey from youthful bliss into a more subdued adulthood has put their music at the forefront for any coming of age fan. Luckily, on this particular Sunday, the band proved that even if you were there for the old favorites, the new tracks can equally hold a candle to their new peers and help usher fans into the next phase of not only the band's career, but the fan's lifestyle as well.
Set list:
01 "Stained Glass"
02 "Darling"
03 "Saturday"
04 "It's Real"
05 "Talking Backwards"
06 "Green Aisles"
07 "Serve the Song"
08 "Crime"
09 "After the Moon"
10 "Had to Hear"
11 "Younger Than Yesterday"
12 "Beach Comber / Two Arrows"
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13 "Wonder Years"
14 "Same Sun" [w/ Frankie Cosmos]
15 "All the Same"
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