The Band I Saw Last Night: Electric Guest

A few months back, a little-known LA band called Electric Guest released an advance single called "American Daydream" from a then-upcoming album called "Mondo" and I instantly became a huge fan of that particular track and have played it repeatedly at my Second Life shows. It's a great summery tune--light, quietly upbeat, featuring a trip-hop beat and a high-voiced singer whom I assumed--mistakenly--was a woman.

Now I know that the singer in question is one Asa Niccone, a mere slip of a young man who possesses a great voice that frequently slides into the falsetto range and who accompanies it with a sprite-like stage manner that's infectious. I feel qualified to offer these assessments because I saw this band perform last night in my city before a highly enthusiastic crowd.

The reason I went is because it was only yesterday morning when I first heard the album, which made a big impression on me. I then immediately sent an e-mail to a fellow music lover,  saying, "You gotta hear these guys," and about an hour later he responded by asking me if I was aware that Electric Guest was playing here in Boston THAT VERY NIGHT!

So I jumped into action, saw that tickets were still available here but that the Wednesday-night show in New York had already sold out! In other words: move quickly! So I did and ended up seeing an excellent show.

Electric Guest definitely rides a retro groove--in their case, soul, funk, and R&B--and it kinda reminds me a bit of Gnarls Barkley. They sounded great, but I couldn't help but wonder how genuinely "soulful" this music really is to them and whether it's really more of a derivative thing.  But that quibble aside, I highly recommend this album and I also strongly recommend  these guys as an excellent live show. But if they're coming to your town, act fast. Their reputation is growing, and their shows are selling out.

--MobyTen