Freelance Whales

This Friday I attended a gig, solo, not only was it the first of 2011 but the first one I had ever been to see on my own. Nervous I sat down expecting the band that would sound like a mix of Mae, Owl City and Hellogoodbye. After Initially getting over the feeling of being on my own, I started writing down notes in shorthand on a discarded bus ticket, partly for reviewing purposes partly so that if people saw me sitting on my own they would know what I was actually doing.

After the gig I approached Judah Dadone, to speak about the gig and also find out the story behind the interesting name. After the band had finished packing up their equipment and he came back to talk to me. He told me that as a kid he had almost drowned in the sea of Galilee, Israel. A lifeguard saw that he was struggling, jumped in and dragged him onto the beach to give him the kiss of life. As he came to, an elderly gentleman, who the lead singer believed had dementia, said something about 'Liberty Whale' and that was the reason for the word Whales is in the name.

This Friday, the Freelance Whales packed out the Brudenell Social Club, it's a place where the bands that play leave their egos at the door. The intimate venue welcome the Brooklyn based band like an old friend, clapping and politely cheering as they took to the stage.

Seeing the band live, you realise that each member is an integral part of the overall sound. The guitars, harmonium, synthesisers, bass, glockenspiel and drums aren't the only instruments in the bands repertoire, but their voices as well. Carefully planned harmonies build up and create the base of each song. The distinctively high lead vocal by front man Judah Dadone, stands out over the plethora of sounds, and is often softened by the gentle voice of Doris Cellar.

The texture of their music is more apparent when they play live, the music and organisation of the band, creates an electricity in this small venue. They didn't just know how to play the instruments, but how to experiment with them. At one point the guitarist took out a bow and started playing his guitar as a violin. The crowd weren't just listening to the music but were looking intently as to how it was created.

They opened their set with 'Rise and Shine', treading carefully as they begin, opening with an acoustic guitar and onto a quick build up of percussion and finally the vocals. The song a blend of pop and folk, with lyrics played to a nursery rhyme style tune, "Cutting all the corners, tearing down the borders, ignoring all the warnings, living out of focus". They aren't the run of the mill lyrics, but they received a positive response from the audience.

'Generator 1st floor', provoked the best response from the audience, the band did not command a raucous reaction from the crowd. Just the fact that people were moving to the music, seemed to mean everything to the band.

Though confident in their abilities, Freelance Whales were humble and sometimes bashful after addressing the audience, it made for a relaxed and enjoyable night. A band like Freelance Whales are definately one to be experienced live, it isn't until you see them perform you are able to see the complex formation of their music and how each member of the band is quintessential their trademark sound.