Moritat

I was really happy when I saw Moritat on The Whistler schedule with Julie Meckler. More on her later. Moritat stayed in my mind in large part because of the CD with the song Yellow House. That song just would not leave me alone. Or I could not leave it alone, and it was the one song that I could recall easily. A part of my mind knew to get the free Yellow House demo CD after that first time at Quenchers and hear it in the car on the way back. I missed them a bunch of times since and then I finally saw them again at Cole's on Milwaukee Ave, just north of Whistler. There is something to like now and something to love later. The piano part just reminded me of the theme to The Peanuts, and then you have Ms Venus' voice on top of that. It's like Schroeder and Lucy had themselves a jam session with everyone. I know that's not what it actually is or what actually inspired the song. It's just my own neurons trying to explain to the world what they beheld. It's like I walked in with the classic Charlie brown shirt on my forehead. Anyway, off I go to Whistler with my sister and her husband.

My mission was to finally buy the CD and support this local band that I like and identify with. Yet this whole time I was too shy to actually meet them. I could have at Cole's but my timid nature puts an awkward moat to cross, takes all the smart words from my vocabulary and reduces me to being this deer-in-the-headlights. I'll get the shirt later. Now the band actually saw my entry about them on my blog. All kinds of questions crash all around me.....did they like it? Did they dislike it....Really? Oh, my God. Just as I was ok being this little mouse about it. I think we arrive at Whistler on time 'cause Moritat was already playing. I don't remember the order of the songs but I do recall hearing Yellow House at some point. I believe I recall Pregnant Ladies as well. Hearing these songs live is awesome 'cause they renew themselves and makes you like the captured work even more. You just notice things in the live breathing performance that you will look for when you're hearing it in the car later.

Yellow House is really relaxed and kind of starry-eyed on CD, and that works. In this song they are closer to a happy Portishead, no delicate tension, but wonder. What I mean is that it draws one's attention without seeming to want it. In the Yellow House Venus is in no rush, but we are relaxed with the wonder of what she describes, or at least in how she describes. I'm not diving deep into the lyrics at this point. All that deeper reading will occur on its own, unless things really jump out. Well perhaps that Peanuts theme comparison didn't really explain them as well as my own neurons at the time of seeing the band. You don't think that live it will make a different imprint. You almost don't consider how loud and powerful and urgent it will sound live. There is muscle where you didn't know they had.

Ah yes, Pregnant Ladies. I like it 'cause of the unexpected turns it makes. Perhaps as I get more familiar with them the more comfortable I feel in going on about them. Pregnant Ladies starts off with the guitar front and center and the whole band chiming in with Venus. They chant their words like slogans at a rally. I'm struck by the wonder of how the lyrics are said. This is just as I'm identifying them in my mind as a keyboard driven band. In mid thought this band changes and as they do, so must my words to describe them. The song goes along in this sweet way and then left turn now. It does that a few times and that's on top of everyone singing in this one. I only highlighted two songs here 'cause this post will never be if I go on and on about the rest. I love this band and I'm glad they live here. They renew this civic Chicago pride.

Zig