School of Seven Bells Live and M83 @ Doug Fir
Tuesday, December 9th, 2008
Photo ⓒ Nilina Mason-Campbell
As my friend Minh rather accurately stated: the M83 show on Thanksgiving night was more like M8zzzz. Once you’ve seen Of Montreal, there’s no looking back. The bar has officially been raised and unfortunately M83’s brand of party - more slumber than dance - just wasn’t engaging. That doesn’t mean the evening was a total waste though. Far from it as I luckily caught openers School of Seven Bells.
Have I been waiting for an act to prove the Semisonic lyric “every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end” true? Well, regardless, School of Seven Bells has. The trio claimed my curiosity beforehand not on the basis of its tracks, but because its existence was made possible by guitarist Benjamin Curtis’ departure from The Secret Machines and stunning twins Alejandra and Claudia Deheza’s exit from On! Air! Library!. The results are marvelous I might add. I hadn’t listened to School of Seven Bells before the show, but was completely swallowed up by its lush rhythmic sound and its ability to transport you into a sort of dreamland where everything is within grasp and infinitely possible. Their single “Connjur” was easily the standout of the night when performed live. Listen to and download Connjur When School of Seven Bells’ 45 minute set was up it was bittersweet to let them go as their departure from the stage marked the return to a less ethereal reality, but with the aid of iTunes I’ve been able to journey back.
