Seattle Subsonic

Ryan Montbleau Band Take the Stage

June 29th, 2008

Ok, he’s not from Seattle, or anywhere close to the northwest for that matter. But he’s too fucking good not to spread the word, if in fact the word hasn’t been spread already. Massachussets’ Ryan Montbleau and band blew me away at the Tractor Friday night. My buddy from Boston had been pitching Montbleau’s upcoming Seattle show for months. I had an inkling based on Nick’s musical interests I’d be walking into some sort of funk, jazz, and/or bluegrass scene. Not necessarily my favorite (the funk and jazz aspects), but hey, I’d committed to the show and I wasn’t backing out.

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I briefly myspaced the Ryan Montbleau Band at work Friday. Halfway through one song, I switched back to the M83 album I’d been listening to before (indeed a music critic faux-pas). I’m not kicking myself for this, because some artists simply must be seen live in order to be fully appreciated. Montbleau is a prime example. If you aren’t initially captivated by his inherent sound or genre on disc, I promise you’ll be spellbound if you catch him live. He’s not just a radical guitarist and brilliant lyricist, he absolutely shines as a performer. And with an equally outstanding 5-piece band to boot, my $12 ticket felt worthy of $50+.

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Before I delve into just how fantastic he is, I’ll share the inside scoop on Montbleau prior to his musical outbreak. I can’t promise the details are exactly correct (turns out a friend of a friend’s ex-boyfriend used to live with this guy… something like that), but it goes something like this. Several years ago, for one reason or another, Montbleau and his girlfriend were residing in different cities. Montbleau, the romantic he is, struggled deeply with this and fueled his depression and bitterness towards learning the guitar. He’d never played before, but over the course of two years became quite good. Within the first year, he’d sing and pick and strum his guitar to the dismay of his roommates. Apparently he was so terrible they’d tell him to shut up, shut up, SHUT UP. But one day, close to two years later, one of his roommates realized Montbleau sounded quite good. In fact, he realized, Montbleau sounded fucking brilliant.

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The rest is history (Montbleau has 4 albums out to date, his first was released in 2002 and his most recent in 2007).

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Montbleau has a phenomenal voice. It’s strikingly similar to indie pop-rocker Eric Hutchinson, who, strangely enough played in town Friday night as well (Neumo’s). However, I’m compelled to reverse the order of comparison here. Montbleau’s voice is far more powerful, and as a result far more compelling. It’s striking, stable, soulful. He sings sweet, light-hearted, sometimes silly romantic tales with outright determination.

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His music is a melange of genres. Soul, funk, jazz, pop, acoustic, bluegrass, roots, hippy, folk. Sunny melodies you can’t help bop your head and stomp your feet to. Last night, the band was comprised of a drummer, a second percussionist, a cellist, a violinist, a keyboardist, and Montbleau of course. Perched on a stool, guitar in hand, Montbleau sang and plucked and tore through aesthetic, complex harmonies, both electric and acoustic. Individually, the rest of the band were equally mindblowing. Their product is a rich, complex and powerful sound.

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In addition to being an outstanding artist, Montbleau’s a charmer to top things off. Oblivious of his own charisma, he has stage presence few artists can fathom. His adorable boyish looks, crooked smile, short mop of hair, grassroots style and genuine character do no harm in propelling his humble but goofy persona. And the passion he displays on stage is gravitating.

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Check out Montbleau here. My favorites from what I’ve been exposed to so far are “Stretch” off One Fine Color (2006) and “75 and Sunny” off Patience On Friday (2007). And next time he rolls into town, CHECK HIM OUT!! You won’t be dissapointed.