the papercuts [2009]

Cafe du Nord
San Francisco, CA
24 April 2009

Really? You’re closing the curtain between bands? I didn’t even know Cafe du Nord had a curtain. And it’s been up so long, you guys better come out naked…with lasers.

The curtain finally came up. Alas, The Papercuts were clothed and laserless.

I wasn’t very familiar with Jason Quever’s music, more with his name and various associations with other artists (usually in his role as producer).

The Papercuts (which like many male indie artists these days, is pretty much one guy) have a Velvet Underground / Magnetic Fields quality to their music. Its a layered, pleasantly-murky sound complemented by Quever’s high breathy vocals floating above.

It was difficult not to note how the quality of the band’s musicianship was in such marked contrast to that of the two opening acts. It was as if we had moved from the co-op party show to the actual venue.

One song in particular featured a fantastic walking base line with perfect atmospheric blurry faux-organ. Like the Wallflowers, but good. It almost seems that Quever has succeeded at paying homage to the senior Dylan where the son could not.

I rarely get into the jammy portions of songs, but god damn. Some of the best parts of the show came from those swirling crescendos of sound.

There’s very little better than coming into a show not knowing much at all about a band and walking away a fan. The Papercuts are great on their recordings. They’re fantastic live.