A Light Hearted Evening

It is no secret that some of the best music ever written has come from heavy hearts. With the band Lightfoot, Jess (and her new bandmates) has taken the break up of her previous band Vox Pop in stride and shines a sunny light on some heavy issues. I recently went to one of their shows at DC 9 to see how Jess would recreate herself. For this show they had to play without a drummer, but somehow I did not miss it. Ian Graham of Deville fame sat in with a tambourine and held the rhythm section down. The crowd gathered without request and the substantial audience was ready for some love.

At first glance the music is whimsical and often attains the cheerful cynicism of Jenny Lewis. The melodies are sugary and sweet, while the lyrics have enough gravity to keep you from being carried away too far from the story. Amongst wonderful lyrics, ukuleles and melodicas were picked up to help lend a uniqueness to the folky sound. Along with the witty song writing and clever instrumentation there was an electricity to the performance–you could feel the passion and personal struggle in every verse–and the emotion was captivating.

While all the original songs such as “WIll Uncoil When” are quite amazing, the best part of show was the cover of “Sea of Love.” Although the Cat Power version was vaulted to fame with the Juno movie soundtrack, Lightfoot was able to make this song their own. Perhaps it was the quiver in Jess’s voice, but something says she knows all too well about the treacherous waters of love.

The five song set seemed to wisp by like a pleasant fall breeze and the only thing I wanted after the show was a longer set. Lightfoot is a cute and endearing band that is all together lovely. With a cold winter approaching I can’t think of a better show to see this new year. While Lightfoot is busy recording their first EP you can check out their upcoming shows and music here.