Opening up a sold-out performance for The Bird and The Bee at the El Rey theater last Friday night, Juliette Commagere, the former vocalist of Hello Stranger now dropping her first solo album “Queens Die Proudly,” found herself straddling a piano stool in a coquettish red satin dress –her high cheek bones only exceeded by her higher melodies. Finding quite the balance between her lyrical laments and the sprightly brattle of percussionist Joachim Cooder, her tone somehow manages to breach poignant without being utterly hopeless, a feat many indie-rockers have yet to tame. Click here to continue.
Her anthem-like bridges and orchestrated harmonies revert into a mellow verse where her vocal melodies float above the deep murmuring of the synthesizer (yes, it’s very poetic, indeed). All in all, with the pulsating rhythms, space odyssey atmospherics and folksy hooks, Ms. Commagere’s songs are enough to make you wonder what Au Revoir Simone might sound like if they had been introduced to a bit more heartache.
Later that night the curtains drew back to reveal an 8-month pregnant Inara George of the The Bird and the Bee standing at the mass of her musical troop. While intertwining a considerably segregated composition of their own space-aged pop originals with classic Hall & Oates tunes from their upcoming March 23rd release of Interpreting the Masters V1: A Tribute to Darryl Hall & John Oates, it was actually pretty easy to get lost in a who’s who with the vivacious duo leading the way through ballads of 70’s soft rock.
On account of George’s pregnancy it’s been a while since the band’s last performance and their loyal fans eagerly awaited some of their electro-tropical love. Visiting tunes like their stomp/clap dance groove “My Love” and the oriental remnants from “Love Letter to Japan,” the pink-tight clad vocalist did well to seamlessly supplement her heavily produced tracks by approaching H&O hits such as “Sara Smile” and “Kiss On My List,” with a lighthearted reverence that unlike most covers, seeped sincerity.
Greg Kurstin, settled unobtrusively behind his corner of keys, anchored the sounds of the 70’s with muted soul striking piano melodies while Inara –unable to squeeze a bass strap over her belly –resorted to cheeky dance numbers and hand movements that harkened back to an era of soft-rock n’ soul.
Despite her kitschy stage performance, George’s genuinely unabashed adoration of these musical icons truly manifested when she paused toward the end of the set to announce special guest, John Oates. Uncommonly short and curly haired, Oates made his way on to the stage, guitar in tow with what seemed to be an equally genuine sparkle. “I really need a dose of feel good tonight,” he said looking out to the audience. Tom “T-Bone” Wolk, bassist for Hall & Oates for the last 30 years, recently passed of a heart attack just the Monday before. In spite of what could have turned into a glib affair, Oates led the band into a climactic funk pop-inspired rendition of “Maneater” that left all of us under the chandelier draped arches of the theater inspired, grateful and audibly sated. –Shane Martin