From the first few moments of “Little Expressionless Animals” from Memoryhouse’s The Slideshow Effect (Sub Pop), the blood pressure goes into a state of calm, as vocalist Denise Nouvion takes you down to a deep blue sea where the ocean’s forest floats and sways with grace. This colorful and layered texture of bliss is what the duo, including Evan Abeele, will be presenting to audiences when their tour launches February 28 at Shuba’s in Chicago, coinciding with the album’s release, and when they make their way to Larimer Lounge on Monday, March 5.
Pumping up the energy on the next track and album single, “The Kids Were Wrong,” Abeele’s affinity for electro pop comes to life. Making the way through The Slideshow Effect does feel as if you’re pulled into a performance, a story, one that’s a much more appealing experience than any family vacation slide session.
Given the history of Memoryhouse and the early days when the two moved from a bedroom project to playing out, I anticipate the live visual performance to be captivating, incorporating Nouvion’s celluloid dreams and ethereal vocals with Abeele’s tweaks, sonic layers and subtle percussion.
“Heirloom” could twinkle with purples and hues of blue, mixing in vintage photos of ladies in their ‘20s bathing suits dancing on the beach at Coney Island, or “Walk With Me,” showing an old man sitting on a park bench, watching the sun rise and remembering when he and his young bride were sitting in the same spot dreaming about their future.
Yes, I’m definitely looking forward to seeing all of the senses come together when Memoryhouse plays live. If you can’t make any of the shows, at the least, The Slideshow Effect provides a perfect transition from the cold of winter to the warmth and color of spring.
Word has it, if you buy The Slideshow Effect directly from Sub Pop, or at your local, independent record store, you’ll get the “Loser Edition,” a colored, light purple vinyl version of the record (look for the official LOSERseal). Not sure if the band will also have these on tour, so play it safe and bring cash (although many bands these days are taking credit cards thanks to Square).
Tour Dates:
Feb 28: Chicago, IL @ Schubas Tavern
Feb 29: Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon
March 1: Iowa City, IA @ The Mill
March 2: Ames, IA @ Maintenance Shop at Iowa State University
March 3: St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club
March 5: Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge – Post303Radio.com ticket give away
March 7: Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
March 8: Boise, ID @ Neurolux
March 9: Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
March 10: Vancouver @ Waldorf Hotel
March 11: Portland, OR @ Bunk Bar
March 13: San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
March 15: Santa Barbara, CA @ Soho
March 16: Los Angeles, CA @ Bootleg Theater
March 17: San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar
Mar 23rd: Glasgow @ School Of Art
Mar 24th: Dublin @Whelan’s
Mar 26th: Manchester @ Deaf Institute
Mar 27th: Bristol @ Louisiana
Mar 28th: London @ Cargo
