REVIEW: IAN SWEET, Young Jesus, Sean Henry @ Great Scott 11/03
By Ioanna Karageorge
IAN SWEET returned to Boston this past Saturday to perform at Great Scott in Allston. In this dimly lit bar setting, bodies packed in close and swayed together for a cozy, three-act concert.
The show began early at 6:30 p.m. on the dot with opening band Sean Henry. Lead singer Sean Henry Posila crooned his new album, Fink, into the microphone with his baby blue Fender Mustang. His voice is distinctly peculiar, delivering his lyrics in an almost whining tone–like a more angsty Sparklehorse. One might think that this tone would make his music sound insincere, but his relatable lyrical content on anxiety and existentialism felt like he is communicating things that have definitely crossed my mind and those of his fans. This performance was the first night of Sean Henry’s participation on the IAN SWEET Crush Crusher tour.
Next on was emotional indie rock band Young Jesus. Their set opened with singer John Rossiter uttering an affirmative “ready to rock” to the crowd and then easing into instrumentation. Immediately, the band’s music felt almost entrancing. Young Jesus triumphed in capturing raw energy in their music and utilizing their instruments to the fullest extent. Their songs often seemed to sound improvised as each band member attentively looked at each other to determine the next move. Influences of experimental jazz were notable in the set as the guitar and drum players created tension playing in polyrhythms and harmonics. Accompanying the melody was Rossiter shouting his lyrics in a Midwestern emo style. The combination of experimental jazz and Midwestern emo created a compelling dynamic for the listener. With Rossiter yelling his philosophical lyrics layered with jazz rhythms, the crowd couldn’t help but headbang and sway.
Finally, IAN SWEET took the stage to a full house. IAN SWEET, Jillian Medford’s solo project, is now on a North American tour for their new album, Crush Crusher. Playing at Great Scott in Allston was a special show for Medford as she graduated from Berklee College of Music. Medford, fashionably clad in a floor length dress and crocs, prefaced to the crowd that she was “happy to be back” and reassured them “things might look different, but it’s still us.”
One of the best parts of Medford’s performance was her ability to weave danceable shredding songs like “#23” with more inward-searching new work from Crush Crusher. It was exhilarating to see her own her place on stage and throw her head back while playing guitar like she was calling upon some higher power. IAN SWEET’s musical content focuses on topics like self-exploration, and the intimacy of her music became magnified in this setting as she actually had her aunts and best friends in the audience that night.
Medford spoke to the crowd at one point and admitted “I was feeling so sad earlier. I feel so much better now.” I think that the statement was almost a metaphor for IAN SWEET’s music. Utilizing pain and doubt in her songs, she takes a stance, owning her confusion and trying to work past it. This sentiment rings true on her last song of the night, “Hiding.” In the chorus she repeats, “I forgot myself in you,”–the most momentous and triumphant part in the entire song. IAN SWEET’s performance was a reminder that it is okay to be vulnerable and acknowledge your mistakes, that it’s a sign of growing and healing.
