{"id":8145,"date":"2011-11-19T01:31:04","date_gmt":"2011-11-19T01:31:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/?p=8145"},"modified":"2011-11-22T01:33:07","modified_gmt":"2011-11-22T01:33:07","slug":"future-islands-in-santa-barbara-and-on-kcrw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/2011-11\/future-islands-in-santa-barbara-and-on-kcrw\/","title":{"rendered":"Future Islands in Santa Barbara and on KCRW"},"content":{"rendered":"

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We caught Baltimore’s Future Islands’<\/strong> early set at Muddy Waters<\/strong> on Wednesday (the later set being sold out), and came away from the enjoyable set still unsure of the long-term merit of the band.\u00a0 They are critically acclaimed and filled the Muddy with swelling synth and bass sounds.\u00a0 We’ll delve deeper into their discography and report back our findings in the future.\u00a0 The three-piece played a well-received set that was marked by the flip-of-the-switch theatrics of lead singer, Sam Herring <\/strong>(pictured above), and seriously-stoic, but accomplished, delivery by his two band mates (Gerrit Welmers<\/strong> and William Cashion<\/strong>) on keyboards, bass and guitar.\u00a0 One minute Herring is the boy-next-door chatting amiably with the crowd, and the next he’s Jack Black channeling death-growl metal and flailing around the stage.\u00a0 After the set Herring reverted to his (we suspect) likable self (as pictured above).\u00a0 More Jeykll, less Hyde, kind of thing.<\/p>\n

To get a feel for the Kona conundrum, check out their performance of Before the Bridge<\/strong><\/em> on KCRW <\/strong>below. <\/strong>Herring seriously scaled back the method-acting for KCRW, but you still get a feel for the Jack Black Leads Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark<\/strong> effect.\u00a0 Let us know what you think.\u00a0 For now, we’re giving them the benefit of the doubt.<\/p>\n