Corey Dargel and ICE at the Velvet Lounge last night,

Midwestern premiere of Dargel's Thirteen Near-Death Experiences,

an "art-pop song cycle"

or just a pop album played live,

with a theatrical performer/composer/songwriter at the mic,

with a backing band of righteous new music players for whom these rhythms are easy, easy, easy.

Talking Heads / old-school Paul Dresher alienation,

some 80s/90s NYC performance art inflections,

chamber pop in the same manner of Final Fantasy, say,

but with cooler rhythms.

And man, the playing, the playing. Clean. Nuanced. Smooth.

Brian put it best: new music can be so dense, so heavy.

This was light.

You can move across it without moving through it,

Without knocking down any doors.

The doors are already open.

Is that because of the style, or the skill of the delivery, or the venue/medium...?

Hm.

Another triumph for Oberlin music grads and New Amsterdam artists.