Weekly Muse ~ Pattern Is Movement
PIM w/Daniel Hart from The Physics of Meaning
Big, hairy men. I mean, LARGE boys. I guess that’s why there are only two of them. There doesn’t need to be any more.
I came across this group when my buddy Kain Naylor returned from a gig in NC, where his group was co-billed with the duo. Philly-based Pattern Is Movement had existed in several configurations before settling on the duo format, which seems to suit them well. A brief listen will illustrate their command of the musical language (classically-trained, undoubtedly).
Andrew Thiboldeaux and Chris Ward seem pretty at-home on stage, a far cry from the often meek & apologetic posturing of some ‘indie-rock acts’. These guys are definitely working through some issues, but in a refreshingly honest & accountable way. Cuts from the latest issue, All Together, show plenty of technical proficiency, but without alienating the listener. The songs push & pull at the right moments and in the right amounts. I found myself continually rewinding tracks to points where these musical ‘shifts’ occurred. Brilliant.
Pattern Is Movement do that whole ‘enigmatic soul-baring’ thing pretty darn well. They are capable of a sincerity that is arresting, without losing the lightheartedness needed to keep the record from ending up in that ‘break-up music’ playlist that keeps evolving in your iTunes. TMI? Get over it.
Duos have been making the scene more & more often, I’ve noticed. We’ve got our Black Keys, our Benevento & Russo, our (sigh) White Stripes and so many others worth naming I should start a freakin’ blog about it! Annnnnywho, I reckon the duo thing is practical ~ probably less equipment to carry (and you don’t have to pay laptops & MPCs -non-union-), less mouths to feed on the road (and jeez, these mouths look like they prolly eat for two apiece anyway)…
I say, good show, ol’ boys! Capitol!
Pattern Is Movement’s latest LP, All Together, was released last Spring on Colorado-based Home Tapes label. Go on, now! Git it!
