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græ LISTENING EXPERIENCE
by DENO
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I was introduced to Moses Sumney during my first year at UCLA in 2010. The first time I saw him perform was at the admit weekend talent show. He was bald and only carried his acoustic guitar back then. It was clear that he had talent but during that performance, he did not yet give off international superstar vibes. The next time I was saw him was singing a duet of Lianne La Havas’s “No Room for Doubt.” Hindsight is 20/20 but at that point, just the second performance, it was clear that his abilities weren’t just a way that he piquesattraction. This was going to be his career.
Since that second performance I’ve been a fan.
When Aromanticism came out, I was over the moon before I pressed play. I am a sucker for uninhibited artistry mixed with an unhealthy attention to detail. Moses exhibited that on every level with his debut album. The concept of the album was well communicated and extremely thought-provoking. I loved and played that album instantly. Moses is an artist who could take 5 years in between every project and anticipation would not wane a bit. You wait patiently because you know he’s getting every chord perfect. You cannot rush perfection, and quite frankly I rest assured knowing that perfection is exactly what he seeks to achieve. Every time.
When I heard Moses was dropping a double album in 2020, I may have salivated a bit. Nothing visible, I’m not a child, but my mouth watered as I reached for my wallet to buy it 5 months before it would be available. græ Part 1 would be released in February 2020 and Part 2 in May 2020. He knew I’d need time to digest and recuperate, he’s so gracious. I bought the album and prepared to pay top dollar for a ticket, but a friend sent me a link for a FREE show to his residency at the Bootleg Theater in Filipinotown. Fam. A free Moses Sumney show? I wouldn’t miss it. It was a Wednesday night and for all I care it could have been Wednesday morning.
Thirty minutes before the doors opened the line was around the corner and rightfully so. We love this guy and a free show is nothing short of a gift. Moses even jokes during the show that the line resembled that of a queue for a new shoe release on Fairfax. What we received was much more precious.
When you entered the venue you stepped into an art installation for the project and it’s exactly the reverence for art that has brought hundreds of people out on a work night. Posters and bunk beds fill the space. The posters detail the meaning behind the album’s title, græ. A coming together of two colors, yin-yang, two islands.
I decided to forego the exhibit first and get a good spot. By the grace of god there were seats so I grabbed one and got ready. I even warmed up my vocal chords a bit because Moses likes to test my falsetto capabilities and I won’t be caught slipping.
Once the show started, I got a burst of energy. At the time of the track by track, I couldn’t be sure of song titles as he didn’t always remind us. Here I will render my initial reactions of græ along with tracks for Aromanticism:
COLOUOUR
Loved this track. We all know Moses only wears Black so the lyrics of this track were endearing. Although the stage was red, closed eye visuals presented blue greenish water texture mentioned in the song. Beautiful start.
QUARREL
One of my favorites to sing ever! To no surprise, this band was masterful. At one point Moses asked “Can we rock?!” and the answer to that will always be hell yes. He broke down the lyric “we cannot be lovers long as I’m the other” and it was bananas.
VIRILE
While it was not my favorite as a single, I understood this song live. I think the visuals for the track were.. A lot.. for me to take in but I completely got it here. You’ll see me say I “get” a song live, or understand it live and that is just to say that the song resonates with me when I can hear and often feel (live bass usually vibrates my chest) its elements. The violinist SMOKED this track. Exquisite. And the drummer was not to be slept on. These hi hats were very important. Moses did a Freddie Mercury band control move, where he controlled their intensity with his body and I found that this move spoke to his grandeur and artistic control.
NEW SONG. ROCK INFLUENCED. // LIKELY IN PART 2 BECAUSE I STILL CANNOT IDENTIFY IT.
I didn’t catch the beat or rhythm for a minute, but when the breakdown came, I found it. I forget that Moses is a guitarist sometimes and this track called me foolish for ever doing so. This song was more brash than I’ve ever heard him. More rock. The breakdowns are so Moses, it’s what I think of as his signature. Think Spike Lee trailing shot. The synthesizers in this track were just great. Reminds me of Zapp and Roger but definitely more psychotic robot. Shortly after this song he took a break to engage with the crowd for a minute and he wasl hilarious. He split the crowd into those who are from California and those who are not for a singing contest leading into “Lonely Road.” Loved it.
CUT ME
“If there’s no pain is there any progress?”
Take em to church! This is the song that he debuted on Colbert and that is likely because of its familiar, gospel aspects. The trombone on this track was for sure my favorite part of the song. This was easily the best I’ve heard this song as well. Moses Sumney is best heard live and best understood alone.
BLESS ME / BEFORE YOU GO
“Cupid has it out for me, gave me crooked alchemy”
Moses conveyed early on that we’d be in for a long show. The breakdown for Bless Me/Before You Go went on a smooth 20 minutes. He brought up some friends from the audience who were amazing vocalists. Caroline Polachek, being one of them. He described her as one of his favorite singers right now. He also brought up his saxophonist for what I’m sure we all thought would be a saxophone solo but turned out to be a singing clinic. I thought he was playing a joke on him but that man could sing his ass off. It’s nuts how talented people just keep other insanely talent people around them. “Bless me before you go” is surely a fun bar to sing but his poetry is on display throughout this song. The riffs are magical during the bass solo of this track. At one point, I was assured that this show was heaven on earth. After this breakdown which could have surely ended the show, Moses and the band took a break. All but the violinist.
The violin solo which I thought was just him messing around is nothing short of theatre quality. He starts slow and picks up intensity illuminated only by a blue spotlight. I’m instantly brought back to my experiences at the opera and this Black man with a beard, Afro, and dangling earring is the star of a generation.
The violin lead into “Don’t Bother Calling” and I damn near melted. If this had been a Friday night show, I might have lost my cool a bit but the atmosphere fostered silent admiration but I was floored.
GAGARIN
The big synthesizers really made an impact on me during this track. This song was so fucking dark and sexy and I loved his exploration with auto tune. At one point he made a couple animal sounds to reverberate and they were really convincing. He’s surely spent some time in the wild. By the end of this, I deemed “Gagarin” as music to sob to.
COME TO ME
He does his Bjork cover and it’s majestic.
DOOMED
Still so amazing. There is nothing this violist cannot do.
POLLY
“1,2,3,4,5,6 am I just your [Wednesday] dick?”
“Polly” was one of my favorite songs of 2019. I’m not one who can listen to songs on repeat but I played that song so.often. I go into more detail on why I love the song so much in a podcast episode, be sure to check that out. I came to the show really looking forward to hearing it live and nearing the 2 hour mark for the show, I was still waiting with bated breathe. He reserved it for the encore and that felt like affirmation. I love this song so much and to close the show with it, let’s me know that either Moses and/or his fans feel like it’s the one too. I loved every second and recorded most of it.
PLASTIC
He still finishes with what is arguably his biggest track.
It’s still sweet and after performing for 2 hours Moses thanked the fans for coming out on a Wednesday and let them know after “Plastic” they could go home to sleep. It was a masterful performance and I’d like to see it again because why the hell not. I especially want to return to see the art installation which became a bit crowded after the show. I’d like to take my time and give it the attention it deserves.
Listen to græ Part 1 over and over and over again until May 2020 when Part 2 comes out then listen to them together until someone has to ask if you’re okay.
