"We haven't played a hometown show in a while" said singer Molly Hamilton as the Brooklyn dream-country group assembled on the stage under a stained glass portrait of Jesus and some lambs, but it was clear that the band was ready and locked-in, set to unleash a set of unabashed bliss. The primary duo of Hamilton and Robert Earl Thomas have been at the helm of this project for fifteen years and their creative spark seems as sharp as ever with their sound rich and triumphant, crystalizing into something they've seemed capable of for their entire career and one they've come into after years of practice. Their set was relatively focused on their two most recent studio records, the excellent Plum from 2020 and 2022's The Jacket, but they also dipped way back into their debut and played a select few off 2015's All Yours as well while still finding time to debut some new tunes and include a cover to boot. Wasting no time at all, the set settled in with a jubilant rendition of "The Jacket" as they dusted off any rust that may have been hanging over hear and by the time they stepped on the gas for "The Driver," the night was in full effect. Watching this band evolve over their career has been an absolute joy and to see Thomas' come into his own as a guitarist as been a real highlight and it felt ever so apparent here as he ripped into the track with subtle force that showcased his growth as a musician and a real ace in the pocket. Shifting between celestial folk and worn-in Americana, the band was locked in to their groove throughout and established a killer mood that married sepia-toned joy with a faded rock and roll flare. Hamilton's voice is as velvety as ever, wrapping the room in a textured hug for the majestic "True Blue" as she enriched the tone with every delicate verse. To see the trajectory of the band's growth was best showcased when they unearthed "Harsh Realm" from their phenomenal debut album. The minimal track now feels so skeletal, yet still brilliant, when played between more of their newer songs, but its raw energy and steely sound is still gripping and struck a real chord with the crowd as Thomas once again dug in for a shredding moment of dirty, bluesy countrified rock. Just before the end of the night, they bashfully introduced a cover before hitting us with a blissed-out take of the Foo Fighters' classic "Big Me," an underrated jam that was handled with expert care and gave it a new, reinvigorating take that'll have me revisiting the original and wishing I could hear this version again and again. Bringing the night to a close with another torn-up track, this time "Everything is Simple" was the rusted-out finish the band has been destined to make for their whole career and as they prepare to head into the studio this month to get to work on their next record, the band couldn't sound better. When a band has been so consistently solid in their work for so long, it can be easy for their sound and style to grow old, but Widowspeak are sounding more fine tuned than ever before and capitalizing on this moment should result in some more excellent work ahead.
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