Words & Images by: Jake Krolick

The Albertans & Nouvellas :: 07.12.09 :: Northstar Bar :: Philadelphia, PA

The Albertans :: 07.12.09 :: Philadelphia, PA

We all dig the JamBase mantra “Go See Live Music!” It’s why we keep racing back here to see which bands are touring within striking range of our abodes. I’d love to add to that mantra with a few thoughts of my own. For instance last Sunday, despite a nagging urge to just stay couch-side for the latest offering of HBO’s True Blood, I followed a friend’s advice and went to see the Brooklyn band The Albertans. This barely year-old band of five musicians from around the states and Canada had just released their first album, The Legends of Sam Marco. They were the second of three acts on a bill filled with musicians you’ve probably never heard of. Apparently only a few others in Philly were ready to leave the company of Sookie Stackhouse and her fanged lover Bill Compton, but those that did were treated to an intimate and stirring performance of music filled with almost as many thrilling peaks as the aforementioned series.

The English bloke at the back of the bar was probably right to ask for an autograph from Jaime Kozyra, one half of the vocalists for Nouvellas. Having missed their first few songs, I’d stumbled into their set of soul dipped rock unprepared for the powerful showcase that Kozyra and Leah Fishman were offering. Having ended their original soul-power trio band, The Dansettes, the two dark-haired songstresses grappled the sounds of Motown, Aretha Franklin and others who had walked a hard-hitting soul line before them. Cradling the vocals inside funk rock, the Pierce Brothers (Andy on drums and Dennis on guitar) as well as Joseph Babic (bass) managed to throw down a shack-rattling set. Together with about four other people, we met their lively, turbulent offering with looks of surprise and more than one foot tapping. Kozyra and Fishman sang in the vein of Tina Turner meets Joan Jett as Fishman belted out the higher notes while Kozyra ground the tall heel of her shiny red shoes into the rug on stage during the lower vocals.

Nouvellas :: 07.12.09 :: Philadelphia, PA

Their music rolled over us and there was no way to stop the uplifting power that their sound captured. Nouvellas build on their old soul foundation and add some crunch and boom from guitar and bass. They spit out the savage joy of “Satisfied,” a tale of gratification that dripped with spine-tingling juice while the drumbeats kicked back in the shadows, jolting our fragile Sunday ease. There were moments of doubt as the band members looked nervously out into an empty room. The North Star was dead on Sunday night, but instead of just falling by the wayside, Nouvellas stood firm. Their performance did not go unnoticed and the sparse crowd that lingered by the bar congratulated each member after the set.

Following Nouvellas, The Albertans dealt with the same empty room. Actually Nouvellas stuck around to watch so The Albertans crowd grew by five. There were now 10 of us there to watch another Ernest Jenning Records band delight our meager numbers. The Albertans’ recoiling indie-pop melodies are the worthwhile concoctions of lead singer/guitarist Joel Bravo, Vancouver born bassist Ian Everall, two female vocalists and one wildly adept drummer.

Joel bravo – The Albertans :: 07.12 :: Philadelphia, PA

Both Bravo and Everall have been at this game for several years and their original band’s MySpace page has the simple epitaph “Bravo Silva 2003-2006.” Watching them play, it’s clear that the last few years performing heavily under different monikers has paid dividends. After moving to Vancouver in 2008, they took up the name The Albertans and, along with a few new explorers, trekked back to New York to push out this fresh pop revelation.

Unlike Nouvellas who appeared uncomfortable with the lack of numbers, Bravo joked with us saying, “We should all make money – at least just enough to tour.” Goddamn, you dream about bands that have hearts filled with such simple and wonderful ideals. As much as I wanted the room full for The Albertans, I secretly loved having a performance to myself. The band played a passionate set that was decorated with the enthusiasm pouring out between Bravo and drummer Curtis Mclean. Many bands have simply punched the proverbial performance clock on nights similar to this, an evening when the bar was barely selling drinks and would have been better off closing early to save money on power. So what did The Albertans do? They played harder.

During “Money Trees,” Mclean dropped one of his drumsticks in favor of taking massive palm swats at his snare drum while the other hand, still holding a stick, tapped on the cymbals. The deeper the song crept, the more Mclean thrashed around, eventually sending his thick, black rimmed glasses crashing into his kit. Bravo pushed out the lyrics and sent the song to its crest by bending the strings of his baby blue Fender. The Milwaukee native jumped off the rug on stage and high into the air. He leapt with all the energy he had and as he jumped he kicked his brown boots up behind him, all while wailing on the guitar heavier and harder than before. The only thing that mattered to Bravo was the music as he lost track of his surroundings and just went with the emotion.

The Albertans :: 07.12.09 :: Philadelphia, PA

The Albertans’ two female vocalists added pop touches to the dynamic and the result was unlikely, raw live music that cried out with a pedigree and hunger to be heard and talked about. After the performance Bravo thanked us for being a wonderful audience of one and shared freely that the band was excited to get back into the studio to record again. He was hungry for more and we were left with a sense that he had more than one tale left to sing about. There was something wise in his eyes, and while he performed he’d stare up into the lights and let that wisdom spill out in nuanced tones over a scar on his upper lip.

The Albertans have some room to grow, but they are making songs that should delight fans with tastes that span between a simpler Arcade Fire and poppier Neutral Milk Hotel. It’s not so much that their songs captivated me, even though the versions of “Marie” and especially “High Noon” seem to have some staying power. No, what really stuck a chord was their drive and the depth that Bravo, Mclean and company managed to find in the midst of a minuscule performance. If they can build on this latest album and capture the emotional build and release that they created on a dead night in Philly, then world watch out. This is a band well on their way to selling out club shows and moving into an opening slot for much greater things.

So as JamBase says, Go see live music! And as I said earlier I’d add to that mantra by saying, “Mix it up a bit and check out what you don’t know.” There is something amazing that pops inside when you discover the unexpected and noteworthy, when live music makes your skin tingle – isn’t that what it’s all about?

The Albertans’ tour dates available here.

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