Seattle's Beat Connection seem to evolve with grace. As is the case with most young bands, they've had plenty of that evolution in the last three years. Their journey from the early house-driven days of 2010's Surf Noir to the vast, green sound of their 2012 debut LP Palace Garden and even through the present has been a roller coaster. But Beat Connection have all the pieces they need right now. They have two excellent records and a live set that seems to tighten with every performance. Tom, Reed, and Jarred play with synergy and poise, and every time we see them, they play better, they interact with the crowd better, and they seem to feel more at home in front of an ever-increasing multitude of people.
This was as evident as ever during today's MusicFestNW set from the Doug Fir Lounge. The addition of local horn section, the Honey Nut Horns, added a soulfulness to their songs, and new tracks, like the aptly-titled "So Good," hinted at an R&B influence on their forthcoming album. After today's exuberant set, our anticipation for their next release is even higher.
Some artists come out of their bedroom studios only to return to the comfort of their four-tracks, and some emerge from the loft and never go back. Stuart McLamb, the creative force behind North Carolina's The Love Language, clearly falls into the latter category. Even when he was technologically l…
"I know it's still early, but we can still rock a little bit," grinned Ernest Greene, aka Washed Out, to a packed house from our MusicFestNW broadcast.
