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Real Estate on Tour
Over the last decade, Real Estate have crafted warm yet meticulous, pop-minded music, specializing in soaring melodies that are sentimentally evocative and unmistakably their own. While 2017's In Mind longed for normalcy against the backdrop of a life as strange as a touring musician's. The Main Thing brings that longing to a universal and urgent place, acknowledging the anxieties inherent in protecting a quiet existence. Reflecting on their collective concerns – existential, environmental, political – the group's fifth album is the result of many deep conversations, resulting in a collectively renewed commitment to their music and a desire to push themselves harder than ever in the work that they love so much. What emerges is a superlative collection of interrogative songs as full of depth, strangeness and contradictions as they are lifting hooks.
"I've got this family, and I feel this responsibility to gild this crazy world," says guitarist, singer and primary songwriter Martin Courtney. The record's most sentimental moments, then, are crystallized home movie flashes directed at Courtney's children. "I can't imagine what will be / in your earliest memories," he sings on "You." These mentions are set against darker realities; on "A Silent World," he pleads, "Can't let you wander off / Out in this wicked world." Then there's guitarist Julian Lynch's first authored song for the band, "Also A But," in which disembodied vocals intone "a poison bloom" and "mushroom cloud" apocalypse, set against sci-fi synths, unresolved guitars and propulsive drums. Instead of exploiting the juxtapositions between these opposing emotional modes, Real Estate embraces cohabiting contradictions. "It didn't feel dark to me," Courtney clarifies. "To me, it's the normal stuff."
This duality is built into the arrangements themselves, interlocking emotionally with the nuance of the lyrics. "Gone," about casting out toxic phantoms of the past, sets ominous descending strums against dirge-y drum machine before clearing the air with a lilting guitar lead. "Procession," hallmarked by a bright, two-note motif set under shifting chords and beats, pits hometown pining against generational complacency. The effect is like gazing through a rearview mirror masked by fog, a sentimentalism so obfuscated you're forced to look forward instead. "We create our own nostalgia. I'm constantly moving so I have more to reflect on," explains Courtney. "If you look at the first record, it was a wistful feeling we wanted to explore. As we get older, the complexity has become more obvious," adds bassist and singer Alex Bleeker. That's paralleled in the album artwork itself; the band enlisted Bjorn Copeland of Black Dice, whose visual work focuses on recycling byproducts of consumer excess, to mimic the layout of Days. Bleeker describes their intention as "the understated Real Estate layout run through Bjorn's pedalboard." The effect is uncanny, reflective of this record's astute self-awareness.
Real Estate's collaborative evolution saw each member experimenting in new roles. Drummer Jackson Pollis, whose love for soul classics like Curtis Mayfield is transparent in his in-the-pocket groove, also performs synth. Keyboardist Matt Kallman composed "Sting," one of the two cinematic interludes that grace Side D of The Main Thing. The record's instrumental epilogue, "Brother," is a four-year-old cassette demo from Courtney, whose parts were tracked over and replaced by his bandmates. Courtney, in turn, inspired by the lush detail of Joni Mitchell's Hejira, subbed certain basslines note-for-note on a synth. Recording over the course of a year in countless sessions at Upstate New York's Marcata Sound, the band reenlisted engineer Kevin McMahon, who helmed their sophomore effort Days. And for the first time, they brought in outside players to round out the sessions: filmic string arrangements recall the seventies scoring of Jean Claude Dennier; Amelia Meath of Sylvan Esso provides a delicate duet on the Chic-tinged, self-satirizing ode to stagnancy "Paper Cup"; Pollis' rhythmic focus is rounded out by up-front percussion and congas provided by Matt Barrick of The Walkmen and Aaron Johnston of Brazilian Girls, respectively.
A working title for Real Estate's fifth album was Special Album. Instead, they settled on The Main Thing. In part, it's a reference to the Roxy Music song: "Even before we decided where to record or who to record it with, I knew it needed to sound that good," enthuses Courtney. "Which is an impossible goalpost, and a good thing." But the "main thing" has another meaning for the group: a declaration of music making's centrality to their own senses of self. "We discovered through the care and attention that we brought to this record that making music to resonate with other people is our catharsis," says Bleeker. "The ‘main thing' is following your path of inspiration, and hoping to inspire that in people around you. Hopefully the album itself will reaffirm peoples' commitments to themselves and to each other, as it did for us." Classic Real Estate reference points are still here – Yo La Tengo, Felt, Steely Dan – but they're refined into hazier grooves, expanded into extraterrestrial sonic layers, deepened into slow-rolling phases. You can't hit an impossible goalpost, but you can come close. Pouring all their hopes, dread, excitement, love and labor into these pristine arrangements, Real Estate made The Main Thing a special album indeed.
Show started at 8. I had to endure two boring opening acts. The band finally came on at 10:00. By the time they came on, I was falling asleep by the opening acts. Once on stage, the band was great but when they start at 10:00, on a school night (Thursday), some people do have to wake up early for work the next day.
OK to be fair; I'm a huge Real Estate fan, and loved seeing them live once again. Besides the lead guitar being a little loud it was a flawless performance. However, the opening acts, Regal Degal and Peking Lights, were both incredibly underwhelming and at some points terrible. In retrospect however I think it was more of the fault of the technical team, since listening to RD's recordings, they are a pretty good band, but with the lack of sound control (drums were overpowering everything) and the lack of any dynamic lights, standing through them was tough. Speaking of lights, the following act, Peking Lights had a nice beat, but again with static lights and with what, in my opinion, killed the vibe, a female vocalist devoid of any stage presence, with soporific delivery of lackluster and repetitive lines. On top of that, again, it just seemed that the engineers just didn't care about the opening acts and just totally shot them to hell with some of the most half-hearted excuse for live sound I've ever seen. That or RD and PL need to work on their live aspect because it was almost unbearable. Real Estate was great though.
This was my first time seeing Real Estate. I have most of their albums. The did not disappoint. Fantastic show, plenty of music and it looks like they enjoyed the show as much as we did. Terminal 5 was a great venue. It was a Thursday night, I didn't get home until 3am, and I had to do a presentation at work the next morning BUT IT WAS WORTH IT!
Real Estate put on a terrific show. The two opening bands were mediocre and forgettable but Real Estate stole the night with a set that was a good mix of their albums plus a new unreleased track. They were pretty relaxed and although the stage banter wasn't much of anything, the renditions of their songs was amazing. I love their records but this was music that's meant to be heard live. Had to Hear and Talking backwards are the two of my favorite numbers!! Would recommend their live performances any day!!
Amazing concert. perfect sound, perfect vocal, all my favourite songs. 5 stars
What a show....Real Estate killed it Saturday night. Already looking forward to seeing them again. Highly recommend seeing them, the harmonious solos to extend songs were absolutely incredible!!!
Each song was like falling in love all over again. Real Estate has such an amazing sound, not to mention quality of performance and professionalism. Needless to say, I was super impressed - my only complaint was that it was too short! Would see them again any day.
Awesome venue, great playlist, and an even better band! One of the best shows I've ever been to.
This show was outstanding. They had an amazing performance and I wish I went the night before as well.
Having seen these boys several times over their career, it is always refreshing to see them again. They are at ease and somewhat engaging. Alex the bassist loves to needle Boston crowds with talk of the hated New York Giants and Yankees but it's all in good fun. Maybe these guys are too low key but I have always left their concerts in a good mood. They are truly craftsmen with guitars but I think it's time to retire Alex singing his song "Wonder Years". The song sounded OK from the studio recording but live he does not have the voice to carry it. He should stick to bass and leave the vocals to others. Just my 2 cents worth.
Great band, great venue. Food was delicious, drinks were reasonably priced.
Real Estate is one of my very favorite bands, and in all the times I've seen them live, they've never disappointed. The stage was lit pretty cute and summery with fairy lights, and they of course played a great set. The only complaints I have are in regards to the venue, Webster Hall. The were some feedback issues throughout the set, and also I think there's a club in the basement because the floor was thudding from the bass and that was pretty annoying. All of that being said, Real Estate is an incredible band and if you like them, you should definitely see them next time they're near you.
It was great to see Real Estate headlining a show at a larger venue. I've seen them open for Dr. Dog & Bright Eyes and The Shins, but this was the first time I was able to see them really have room to breathe. Great live show.
Real Estate created a positive vibe at Webster Hall, particularly after R Stevie Moore's eclectic set left much of the crowd looking at one another in confusion (both good and bad, but evident, nonetheless.) The guys played like they genuinely were enjoying themselves which made the entire experience that much nicer. The crowd was one of the friendlier, politer I've experienced at NYC show. All around good band, good time.
Mics were hot, the lead singer's voice was...average. Songs sounded exactly like the album - take from that what you will.
These guys are phenomenal live. Great crowd and a great mid-sized venue to house this real intimate show. Real Estate played a great mix of their two albums, mixing slower paced songs like "Green Aisles," "Out of Tune," and "Suburban Dogs" with fast paced ones such as "It's Real" and "Fake Blues." The turning point of the show was a new song I didn't know. They continued to jam out with their unique surfy chill style for awhile, and it really was awesome. They did likewise on the song "All the same," and I really enjoyed these songs. Altogether they did a really good job, and I will make sure to catch their show whenever I can.
the two opening acts were flat out awful. and the band did not start until 11 when the show started at 9. we had to wait through TWO HOURS of crap that hurt to listen to.
Real Estate put on a terrific show. The Twerps opened and were one of the better opening acts I've seen in years. Real Estate stole the night with a set that was a good mix of their two albums plus a new unreleased track. They were pretty relaxed and although the stage banter wasn't much of anything, the renditions of their songs was amazing. I love their records but this was music that's meant to be heard live. The show closed with both bands playing a cover of New Zealand legends The Clean. Great night!
It wasn't bad, but I was really hoping for a better show. I was talking with a friend at the concert, and we discussed how you couldn't hear the complexity of the layers and it wasn't nearly as satisfying listening to Real Estate live as it was listening to their album. I love Real Estate, and I was disappointed by the show. It was just OK. Probably my least favorite concert so far this year.
This band is tight! Happy Birthday Martin!!! What an amazing show!
