REVIEW: MOSES SUMNEY RESIDENCY
Nearing a turning point in his meteoric rise, Los Angeles’ delight in keeping Moses Sumney all to ourselves is quickly becoming a thing of the past – making his Monday night residencies at the Bootleg Theater for the month of March all that more precious to his hometown crowd. His recent globetrotting appearances are only further distancing himself from the L.A. melting pot that gave birth to his burgeoning talent.
As is the case with any residency, the wildcard becomes the accompanying acts. White Sea, a three-piece fronted by former M83 collaborator Morgan Kibby (she co-wrote the anthemic “Midnight City”), delivered a performance that honored Kibby’s previous emotionally charged lineage. Standout “Prague” is the perfect vehicle for Kibby’s vocal prowess, anchored by grandiose chord progressions and her efficient bandmates. At her best, she came off as an heir to Kate Bush’s unattainable throne – a compliment I hesitate to throw around so lightly.
Dirty Projectors alum Deradoorian followed up the vacuum left by White Sea’s powerful display with something much more reserved and cerebral in nature. It was a nice lead-in to Sumney from White Sea, though somewhat under-appreciated by a crowd who came to see the Solange-approved Moses. Deradoorian brought heavy atmospherics to the table, employing surreal and dizzying moments that Ravi Shankar wouldn’t have a problem sitting atop. I highly recommend following her in the wake of Dirty Projectors’ alleged disbanding.
Nearing the end of his month-long residency at the Bootleg Theater, Moses Sumney appeared confident and composed. His rich vocal stylings immersed an already-captivated crowd into his own private world of layered harmonies and a reserved essence. Sumney’s talent is already apparent the world over, so this made for a unique opportunity to check in and reflect on where he has been and where his act could possibly go.
The cornerstone of Sumney’s talent lies in his highly-trained voice. I hate to sound trite, but the ease with which he can jump from one range to another on the drop of a dime is reminiscent of Bobby McFerrin if he had taken a different path. Unlike so many performers that stretch too far under the pressure of performance, Sumney enjoys complete control of his voice, letting his delicate guitar playing take the arrangements to another level.
After a few songs, Sumney transitions into his signature modus operandi of using pedals to layer vocals parts, reaching a Sigur Rós-esque climax of indecipherable ambiance or reaffirming the audience that he has just as much of a gift for rhythm as natural vocal talent – exemplified by his impressive cover of Majical Cloudz.
Despite Sumney’s stellar performance, many questions remain regarding where he is headed next. Will he continue to divide his show between his layering technique and soft-spoken folk? Sumney is an artist on the verge of festival-worthy popularity, but much growth can be achieved conceptually before he reaches that level. There were moments of complacency, such as when Moses chose to conclude the show backed by a band that really took away from the mystique he has worked so hard to cultivate. Sumney owes much to his minimalist approach, but it will be interesting to see how he chooses to evolve and embrace other ideas as he continues to rise. Ultimately, he is an incredible new voice on the scene and one demanding of attention; what he chooses to do with the spotlight is all up to him.
Sumney has two more nights on his March residency, check him out at the Bootleg Theater this Monday for an amazing show.
