Braids at the Mohawk [Show Review]

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Even if lead singer Raphaelle Standell-Preston hadn't said "I don't think we've had this much fun on stage all tour," towards the end of their set, it was obvious that Braids were enjoying themselves immensely throughout their gorgeous performance at the Mohawk. Few young bands possess the kind of chemistry that the Montreal quartet do, and their immense talents played off of each other to make for a performance that felt well deserving of Standell Preston's sentiments.

Both on record and in a live setting, the band's biggest strength lies in how each member is able to carefully construct their own parts and bring them together into an organic, dream inducing whole. All four players were laser focused on ensuring that every loop, every drum hit, and every guitar stroke was done correctly, and this attention to detail made for plenty of ethereal moments. Drummer Austin Tufts' thundering percussion was only made stronger with the reinforcement of multi-instrumentalist Taylor Smith on "Glass Deers," Peggy Lee's synth playing perfectly complimented the atmosphere created by the concise twiddling of knobs and effects pedals, and the vocal harmonies between the four were nothing short of mesmerizing.

And then there was Standell-Preston's voice, which would be an X factor for the band if their instrumental talents and beautiful arrangements weren't already enough to set them apart. She demonstrated complete control over her vocals, as she managed to go from a quiet and fragile murmur to full on cathartic wail in a matter of seconds on "Glass Deers" and fan favorite "Lemonade." How she manages to pull off such vocal feats night after night for two months straight is beyond anyone's guess, but there is certainly a seat waiting for her at the table of indie's elite female vocalists.

Along side several old standbys, there were a couple of surprises to be found in the band's set list. The decision to begin their performance with a new song (possibly from their upcoming split 7" with Purity Ring) gave the band an opportunity to show that they have been hard at work despite their seemingly endless tour itinerary. Along with another new track towards the end of their set, it showed that many of the best aspects of Native Speaker were still intact. Both songs were at least five minutes, spanned multiple movements, and they each contained lush arrangements and Standell-Preston's effortless vocal acrobatics. If these songs are a sign of what's to come next for the band, one can expect another fine piece of work in the near future.

By the time set closer "Native Speaker" came to an end, the band had been onstage for close to an hour. However, such is the power of Braids' music that the end of their set felt like the end of a beautifully orchestrated dream. While one could nitpick and compare their performance to any of the other times they've played Austin this year, it does not take away from the fact the band is a live force and in strong contention to be one of 2011's best new bands.

Braids: [official]