Say Yea! - Yeasayer Houston concert review

Thanks to my dear friend Alex, I recently discovered Yeasayer, an alternative, indie, experimental rock group that performed at the House of Blues on Friday. 








Yeasayer's songs have been compared to Peter Gabriel, MGMT, and Kate Bush.   I don't agree with any of these comparisons.  Their sound is too eclectic to be compared to anyone else.  They are fresh and engaging, mixing tribal jingle,  electronic guitar notes, bass, drum beats and high vocals.  


By keeping their set compact, Yeasayer forces its audience to focus on each of its band members.  Each musician performed with deep concentration that was contagiously unpretentious and made the audience feel at one with the band. 

The band's lead singer, Chris Keating, took stage on the left, distorting vocals with joy of a pop music junkie.  Singing with his eyes closed, he was sincere and serious. 


What  makes this band work is the simplicity and clean lines of their lyrics.  There is nothing extra and nothing missing. There wasn't one song or a sound I did not like, which is rare. 


Yeasayer kept the Houston audience moving on their feet.  Everyone in our group was smiling, dancing and clapping throughout the performance, which seemed short because it was so good. 

Here is a video of one song I liked, among many others:


Tightrope 
So you're wishing that you never did
All the embarrassing things you've done
And you're wishing you could set it right
And you're wishing you could stay the night
But then I go again, wishing never solved a problem
If you wanna get it big time, go ahead and get it get it big time

So I think I can solve all my problems by myself
Nevermind, nevermind, nevermind, nevermind
And you think you can solve all your problems by yourself
Nevermind, nevermind, nevermind, nevermind

Oh, give it, give it, give it, give it, give it
Until you just can't give no more
Oh, give it, give it, give it, give it, give it
Until you just can't give no more

Oh, give it, give it, give it, give it, give it
Until you just can't give no more
Oh, give it, give it, give it, give it, give it
Until you just can't give no more 


Lyrics by Yeasayer
(c) Pictures by Vika!