A couple weeks ago I gave props to Saint Motel for keeping their expectations low on their single “My Type” off their 2014 EP with the chorus:
“You know you’re just my type/you’ve got a pulse and you are breathing.”
It’s very fitting with my personal philosophy – keep your expectations low in all aspects of life and you’re likely to be pleasantly surprised most of the time. Sure it’s not amazing, but hey, it’s not the worst ever, and it exceeds expectations.
I immediately broke my own rules though when the song of the day got posted – never having looked up the band to see a picture, I was tickled and intrigued when I saw their photo – who was this brootiful quartet full of swagger, rocking huge square framed glasses and not one, but two fedoras? I had to see them live – and based on the picture and that one single, I couldn’t help but feel my expectations start to float slowly upwards.
And every single one was met on Friday evening at the packed Schubas Tavern when a brootiful fivesome of dudes (including a touring member on sax) in an array of square glasses and sweet hats (they weren’t fedoras exactly – they were bigger than fedoras, but smaller than Pharrell’s homage to Smokey the Bear – Panama hats maybe?) took the stage, and immediately launched into the bouncing, care-free opening of “Feed Me Now” as white Christmas lights flashed in time to the music on their mics. The group creates a free-spirited, silly, compelling, totally addictive brand of indie pop that brings to mind sunny vacation spots and tropical fruits (their genre on Facebook is listed as “you tell us”). Making their way through “Honest Feedback,” “Benny Goodman,” “Cold Cold Man,” “Ace in the Hole,” “Puzzle Pieces” and, of course, “My Type” and sounding spot on to their recorded tracks, the group was getting down onstage, and the audience was right there with them – wiggling, fist pumping and jumping along to the high energy performance.