Eleanor Friedberger’s most recent album Personal Record, out this month on Merge Records, further eschewed the spastic and jarring tendencies of her former band Fiery Furnaces and sought to embrace breezy pop songs and, occasionally, introspective piano rock. Her set Friday night at the Parish showcased even more polished versions of these pop songs, which translated better live than recorded. Backed by a full band, Eleanor switched between guitar and standing unadorned to deliver vocals. Her stage presence is less energetic than it is transfixing; while she does provide a frequent fist pump or dance move, her piercing gaze defines her demeanor more so than any other quality.
The Parish began relatively sparsely inhabited on an evening when no less than four important local shows coupled with Baths playing the Mohawk no doubt divided the indie rock crowd. However, the venue filled to a comfortable level by the time openers TEEN had finished. Those stalwart fans in the very front sang along to almost every song including those from her newest album, which has only been available for less than two weeks and comprised the bulk of her set. Particularly fitting for the early summer show was upbeat pop song “Stare at the Sun.”
Earlier in the evening TEEN performed a tight set of buzzing indie-rock. Lead singer and frontwoman Kristina Lieberson carried the set in terms of energy, as she smiled and swayed to the band’s distorted flow of sound. Though the rest of the group merely shimmered in the background of noise and low light, the group made up for it with tightly crafted arrangements.
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