Palliard
The Hideout in Chicago
12/9/06
Palliard is one of those bands that makes Chicago a better place to live in. Sometimes, I feel so proud that Chicago is the home to so many great local bands and Palliard is definitely worth both listening to and seeing in a live setting. This marks the fourth time I have seen them and the first that I have heard many of the songs off of their newly released album Won’t Heal Alone.
I’ve been listening to Won’t Heal Alone several times since seeing Palliard last Saturday and I’ve noticed the songs tend to grow on you. There are moments of despair when Chris Hamsher asks “What have I done…” on the very opening track “Halos.” Yet, there are really uplifting elements of songs like the melody line created by the wurlitzer on “Driving in the Dark,” which really came off well live. Perfectly complimenting other songs is the lovely drifting pedal steel, which is especially perfect on “The Basement,” “Sunshine” and “Slow Train.” This always really makes their live experience for me in particular, though the stand up bass also strengthens the songs. On the new album in particular, “Get Back Together” begins with a really nice stand up bass solo.
Another highlight of their set included a new song entitled “Mockingbird,” which has a really catchy guitar rift opening up the track and between verses. The soft touching vocals have this note of melancholy that the whistling only manages to bring an element of whimsy to as Hamsher fills the melody lines with both questions and reflections: “I’m blue as a bluebird all alone…I’m thinking ‘bout the mockingbird and how he lost his nerve.” Their lyrics and accompanying music is sometimes subtle enough to weave their way into your thoughts without hitting you over the head.
Sometimes having so many categories for music is helpful but at other times it seems to make music more indescribable. Palliard isn’t quite country. It’s not quite folk or rock. I guess you’ll just have to discover them and decide for yourself. Listen to Palliard on myspace
View the complete set on flickr
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Setlist:
