The beauty of a free show is the “can’t lose” proposition. Aside from the length of time you choose to invest, the no-cost aspect allows you to engage and judge, free from the perception that artist x needs to provide you with entertainment equivalent to, or greater than, the cost of the ticket you purchased. Brooklyn band Sweet Bulbs was why I had shown up for a free show at Bruar Falls. Having only read the bits of buzz here and there, and heard the handful songs that have made their way onto the internet, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect, but no matter; it was a free show.
Sweet Bulbs walked onto the stage at Bruar Falls and, with very little set-up or warm-up, tore into their set. For those unfamiliar with their sound, it’s hard to pin down what convenient label you’d file them under, but let’s just say it’s a noisy brand of pop. There are hooks and melodies worth singing along to, provided by vocalist Inna Mkrtycheva, but they’re backed up by a bed of distorted guitar and some of the chunkiest bass I’ve heard since throwing on a Jawbox album (showing my age?). It’s a juxtaposition that works well for them. As Inna faced the crowd and stoically delivered the lyrics, the rest of Sweet Bulbs seemed to spastically occupy the space around her, a flailing mess of guitars, drum sticks and arms. Between each song was the briefest of intermissions as drummer Ray Weiss urged band members to continue on, launching into the next song almost as soon as the previous had ended. It established an energetic pace reminiscent of their sound and resulting in a set that seemed to rush past the audience in a loud, distorted blur.
Sweet Bulbs haven’t put out a proper release and are just starting to get some notice, so I’d assume that this was only a hint of what’s to come. If that’s the case, keep your eyes on them. Theirs is a solid mix of pop sensibilities grounded by enough noise and distortion to give some edge and keep them from sounding too glossy.
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