CMJ: The Antlers, Music Hall Of Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Walking on stage, Peter Silberman (songwriter, vocalist, guitarist), addresses the crowd, “Is anyone hung-over yet? No? Work on that.” This joke, dispensed at the onset of the CMJ music festival in New York City, is the only time that a sense of ease and lightness permeates The Antler’s show. With that light missive, the band crashed headlong in to ‘Kettering’, a song off their latest LP, ‘Hospice’.

Silberman plays and sings standing, cross-legged and rocking on the outsides of his feet as though trying to comfort himself. It is impossible to avoid conjuring images of the vocalist, similarly poised, as he recorded an entire record based on loss and alienation. With a simple set up of drums, guitar, and keyboards the musicians set out to maintain the epic scope of Silberman’s recorded material.

Through ‘Sylvia’ the ominous constant of the kick drum tolls out the inevitable distress of failing relationships. The following, ‘Bear’, begins slowly and an occasionally overwhelming bass obfuscates the almost pleasant denial of the songs lyrics. Yet Silberman and company’s ability to contain the same musical contours (at times spaced, at times claustrophobic) of their recorded material is no small feat.

A couple of songs later and ‘Two’ builds structurally upon a foundation of vocal harmonies and lonely drums. Silberman and the keyboardist’s multiple effects benefit the band, but here the insistency of the recorded song’s constant strum is lost to their multitudinous roar.

The Antlers close with ‘Wake’, the perfect summation of their general aesthetic. The song begins with a solitary voice haunting each darkened corner of the concert hall, and slowly introduces guitar, tambourine, atmospheric keys, and full drum kit. This song features the rawest guitar sound of the evening, which fit perfectly with the urgent strain of Silberman’s vocals.

Having committed wholly to an intense performance the band leave the stage, leaving the audience with an emotional bloodletting.