On Saturday, May 24, I was ordered by the evil BOThead overlord Eggs (kidding (kinda)) to cover the Ume/Lymbyc Systym/The Sour Notes show at The Mink/Backroom in Houston. I had just settled in to enjoy a slothful holiday weekend, and was not exactly pleased at the prospect of braving the rabid humidity to take pictures and jot down notes in a poorly lit venue, but I went nonetheless - and I'm quite glad that I did.

Full review and pictures after the jump

Saturday night was a momentous one for Austin-based quartet The Sour Notes, as it marked not only their debut CD release party but also their first ever show together. Some of the band members have roots in Houston, which was evidenced by the large number of family and friends present in the audience - including guitarist/vocalist Jared Boulanger's 5-year-old sister (who looked mighty tired after their set). It could be that I was just positioned in a particularly dense spot, but I swear that it was more packed in the Backroom's upstairs area than I've ever experienced.

The Sour Notes played a collection of 6 or 7 infectious indie-pop pieces. Initially, the vocals seemed a little unsteady, but they improved immensely as the set progressed. I imagine that as Boulanger becomes more comfortable performing the material with this new project, his vocals will convey more confidence. Providing a lush backdrop for Boulanger's lilting lyrics were bassist Brandi Dipietro, guitarist/keyboardist Chris Page, and drummer Travis Hackett.

You might expect a band to be a bit awkward onstage the first time they publicly play their work, and I think you'd be warranted in holding such an expectation. In the case of The Sour Notes, they didn't come off as completely uncomfortable, but they did seem a bit unsure of how to fill the transitional gaps between songs. Dipietro had the most natural presence on stage, but they all looked like they could've gone for a few rounds of Patron, but were refraining due to the presence of family, you know what I'm saying? On the other hand, I appreciated the fact that we weren't getting fed the same stale jokes that had been told in city after city before us - there was something raw and genuine in those not-quite-awkward but almost-too-quiet pauses between songs.

I especially liked their cover of The Ronettes' "When I Saw You", which found Boulanger's soft, buttery vocal melding effortlessly with the musical landscape. Another highlight for me was their set closer, "Weak at Heart", a dulcet ode filled with just enough acerbity to leave you wondering what events could have given Boulanger the urge to "board up the door." It's the opening song (and my current favorite) on their debut album, The Meat of the Fruit - which was included in the ticket price of the show. I've already listened to it in its entirety several times and will be writing more about it very soon. This show was an impressive debut from The Sour Notes, and I look forward to seeing how they develop over the coming months.

Lymbyc Systym were up next. Eggs and I were downstairs when they began their set, and we were immediately lured back inside by their Explosions in the Sky-esque sound. Upstairs, we found that the audience was noticeably less dense than it had been during The Sour Notes' set - apparently their families had departed, which is understandable. Still, it's kind of a shame, because Lymbyc Systym were excellent as well. They definitely did have an Explosions feel to them, but what especially fascinated me was that they were able to create complex, intertwining layers reminiscent of Explosions' sound (and volume), but with just two musicians.

Lymbyc Systym's personnel consists of brothers Mike (drums/percussion/MacBook) and Jared Bell (keys), who are based in two different cities - Mike lives in Austin, while Jared resides in their hometown of Phoenix. (Tangent: they may not share the same city of residence, but they do sport matching white-boy 'fros.) We spoke with Mike for a few minutes after their set and learned that they develop the majority of their music by exchanging material via the internet (or 'interweb', if you're Jim James). These virtual collaborations are then cemented with in-person sessions. The result is sonically challenging and a marvel to witness in person. Fans of Mogwai, Do Make Say Think, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and/or The Octopus Project should definitely check this duo out.

The night's headliners, Austin-based trio Ume, quickly energized the crowd after Lymbyc Systym's entrancing set. A few drunk frat boys made their presence known by repeatedly bellowing, "You're hot!!" at guitarist/vocalist Lauren Larson. Such class. To be fair, she is extremely attractive, with blond hair and a petite frame. Her looks shouldn't fool you, though - this girl seriously rocks out and shreds on her guitar. It's not so common to find female artists who so completely give in to the onstage rocker attitude and pull it off in a way that seems natural, not contrived. So maybe I shouldn't berate the brosephs for being a little excited. But I would like to point out that she was wearing a wedding ring...as was her husband, bassist Eric Larson.

Ume has a definite Sonic Youth feel to them - and no, I don't say that just because of the indie-chick frontwoman connection, though that indubitably plays a part in the comparison. Their sound and performance clearly pleased the audience gathered in the Backroom, but after being displaced by an overly enthusiastic couple, we opted to head home halfway through the set.

Great night of music overall - even though I started sweating on the walk from my apartment to The Mink, and I didn't stop until I was back home, positioned under a ceiling fan. Which reminds me: Eggs and I also heard one of the best reasons for moving away from Houston that night. Between sets, we were chatting with a couple who mentioned that they'd be relocating to Portland soon. When we asked why, we learned that the boyfriend's "air conditioning in his car stopped working, so we decided to move somewhere that's not so hot." Right on.

We've got more photos and videos from the show available, for any media whores out there.

Carpe ientaculum.

--Cereal