Photo Gallery: Braids, Baths @ Rock & Roll Hotel

Caught a show last night at the Rock and Roll Hotel with new band Braids and electronic artist Baths. Show was mostly good — Baths certainly earned points in my book for making his electronic laptop music look interesting in a live setting by triggering samples and beats in real time with his sweet digital interface, not to mention singing live. That really helps considering so many laptop musicians can essential push play and walk away if they wanted.

Had some lens focus issues with my camera so didn’t get a huge variety of shots, but here’s a gallery of some of the better ones.

Best Song I’ve Heard All Day: Lemonade

(part 978 in a 1001 part series)

Braids is one of those bands that’s getting considerable buzz right now for 2011 and after hearing the opening track from their album Native Speaker, “Lemonade,” it’s easy to hear why. The band seems to have just the right mix of ethereal, often Bjork-like vocals, minimal repeated electronics ala Animal Collective and melodies that are in the indie rock wheel house. This record is quite good and will surely catch on with some people this year.

As a bonus, here’s another stellar song, “Lammicken,” which is just a tad more challenging but just as inventive and transfixing.