And Her Bed Smells Like Flowers and Prince Vince 6/21/08 Live Patio Night show at the Minnesota Museum of American Art
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Here's what I know about Switzerlind: almost nothing. While I was working on an article about Mouthful of Bees, I caught Switzerlind opening for them in the basement of Java Jack's and two things stood out. Firstly, the band members (Mike, Nick and Sam Hoolihan and Andy Imsdahl) played musical chairs with instrumental duties the whole night. Some bassists and guitarists might switch off every now and again, but I've rarely seen a group where every chair is up for grabs on every tune, and the members covered their parts (bass, guitar, drums, keyboards, heck, even some killer tambourine) with aplomb. The music was a compellingly mellow blend of indie rock and jazz, reminiscent of the instrumental records of sometimes Tortoise member Bundy K. Brown, and it was a perfect fit for the parents' basement vibe of Java Jack's. No vocals, no solos; just fantastic little melodic ideas and grooves that made for easy listening, and I'm not talking about Barry Manilow here. The other thing that made them unique? A friend of theirs sat in front of the stage and frosted cupcakes that got handed out at the end of the set. Remember: The quickest way to a crowd's heart is through their stomachs.
STEVE MCPHERSON Pulse 1/18/2007