Concert Review: Maybird with The Cordial Sins at the Big Room Bar
After touring in support of their Danger Mouse produced EP, Turning Into Water, since it’s release last April, Maybird gave the crowd a taste of some new music last night at the Big Room Bar. The band is planning to release a new EP this June, this time around with songs produced by Patrick Carney of the Black Keys. Maybird’s brand of psychedelic-tinged rock just seems to wash over the listener, swirling around the room, pulling you in, and making you hope that each song never ends - the perfect sound for a Sunday night show, bringing the weekend to a close
From the aforementioned new EP, Maybird previewed three tracks, “Bluebird Flew Away,” “Grace,” and “Keep in Line.” The latter is the first single to be officially released from the new EP, dropping back on March 31. This new single has a somewhat brighter sound than than the band’s earlier tracks, perhaps Carney’s influence, but still preserves the band’s distinctive psychedelic-influenced sound. In talking with Adam Netsky after the show, he said that working Carney on the new tracks got the band to work in a different way then they were used to, very fast and efficient. Also, Carney let the band crash at his place while they were recording.
The sounds produced by the five-piece, all hailing from the Rochester, NY area, blend perfectly together, creating a powerful wave of sound, but never obscure Josh Netsky’s vocals. The instrumentation of this five-piece is anything but standard, featuring Josh Netsky on guitar and lead vocals, his brother Adam Netsky on drums, Sam “Overhand” Snyder on lead guitar, Kurt Johnson on pedal steel/steel guitar, and James Preston on bass. Watching Snyder’s fingers fly as he plays his guitar overhand - yes he reaches around the neck of the guitar from the top to finger his chords - is incredible.
Equally impressive is watching Johnson handle the pedal steel guitar (pictured left). The pedal steel guitar is a type of electric guitar that is built on legs and has foot pedals and knee levers which change the pitch of certain strings. The player moves a piece of polished steel back and forth against the strings to change the pitch.
In addition to the new songs, Maybird also hit the highlights from their previous EP, and their first self-released album, Down & Under, including “Turning Into Water,” “Nocturne,” and “Two Horizons.” The band also played a cool cover of Brenda Lee’s 1962 single, “All Alone Am I,” which Maybird recorded for Resistance Radio: The Man in the High Castle Album, the soundtrack for the Amazon Prime series The Man in the High Castle.
Maybird has developed an affinity for Columbus since playing at CD102.5’s Fall Fest last year, so it’s safe to say that they will be back soon after releasing the new EP.
Columbus rockers, The Cordial Sins, opened the show with a great set. The alternative/indie band, who cite Radiohead, The Shins, and others among their influences, have a dreamy, 70s rock vibe to their songs. The Cordial Sins are led by Liz Fisher (lead vocals/keyboard) and Corey Dickerson (guitar/vocals), along with Jeremy Miller (drums), Kyle Edwards (guitar), and a rotating staple of bass players. Fisher has a big, but very smooth, rock ‘n’ roll voice that really shines, drawing in the listener, and meshing perfectly with the band’s sound.
The Cordial Sins released their debut full-length album, Daze, in late 2015, and told the crowd at the Big Room Bar that they are working on a new EP to be released this fall. The band also released an excellent new single, “Go On,” back in September 2016, which has been receiving airplay on CD102.5 here in Columbus. Catch The Cordial Sins opening for Damn the Witch Siren at Rumba Cafe on June 2.
