The Observer, April 22, 2005
Volume XXXVII, Issue 26
Guster rocks Adelbert with fresh pop sound
I've never seen a band quite like Guster live. Their unique combination of fervent energy and self-deprecation is rare for a group of successful musicians, especially in today's universe of over-processed, pre-fabricated boy bands. Several times during Guster's concert last Thursday, April 14th in Adelbert Gymnasium, I felt the uncontrollable urge to tell the members of Guster to be proud of their success. With three albums, a fourth on the way, and a long history of touring in the company of artists like Ben Folds and Rufus Wainwright, the men of Guster have come a long way since jamming in the dorms of Tufts University.
But maybe that air of humility and vulnerability is part of Guster's charm. Whatever the case, when Guster took the stage after opening band the Zambonis, practically everyone in the crowd was singing along with guitarists Ryan Miller and Adam Gardener, and rocking out to drummer Brian Rosenworcel's bongo beat. Fresh out of the studio in Nashville where they had been recording their fourth album, Miller, Gardener, Rosenworcel, and new auxiliary member Joe Pisapia seemed excited to be playing again (even if they did seem a little rusty) and eager to experiment.
After opening with such darkly poppy favorites as "Demons," "Barrel of a Gun," and "Backyard," Miller announced the debut of a new song, an upbeat, '90s pop tune tentatively called "Dear Valentine." Between tunes Miller bantered with the crowd, claiming that UPB didn't allow him to have a beer before the show; five minutes later, a loyal fan hand-delivered one. Sated, the band pressed on with the impossible to resist "Amsterdam" and an achy "I Spy."
Live, Guster's harmonies are as tight, poppy, and hummable as on recordings; Miller and Gardener's voices complemented each other well as they traded off lead vocals. But it was Rosenworcel's drumming that took the band to a whole new level. Standing on an elevated platform above Miller, Gardener, and Pipasia, Rosenworcel seemed more like some intense, tribal drum god than a nice Jewish boy from Brooklyn playing the bongos. I don't think anyone in the audience blamed him when he moved to a drum kit for the super-charged, jammy "Red Oyster Cult."
Of the two additional songs Guster debuted on Thursday, both were untitled and both reflected an undeniable Nashville influence through twangy guitar parts and a more upbeat sound than that featured on albums like "Lost and Gone Forever". That contrast was clear as they ended the set with older tunes "What You Wish For" and "Fa Fa."
In an interview before the show, Roseworcel said that each of Guster's new albums is a reaction against the last; that was never more clear than on Thursday. But wherever they're going, it's bound to be good.
