Annuals, a six-piece band hailing from North Carolina, inhabit a unique room; as musicians, they have carved out a domestic space that lies between a dance room and a tearoom. Their songs find harmony amongst the disruptive and the calm, a body composed of a scattered brain and a mouth of pure articulation.
“The Giving Tree” exemplifies this artfully executed duality. It is a piece of clarity that rolls off a rapid musical tide. With a voice even-toned and earnest with sincerity, Annuals sing out over a rush of psuedo-electronic instruments. The human voice is a steadfast beacon, a lighthouse against a raging sea.
“Eyes in the Darkness” is propelled by a similar wave of musical chaos, but this time around the electronic yields to more human components: bursts of syncopated hand-clapping are paired with organ tones to create the light and earthy feel of a roll on the grass. But a second listen reveals another facet and, like many of the group’s creations, though the music induces a strut the lyrics give reason to ponder.
If you too straddle the dance floor and the think tank, make a trip to see Annuals play at Great Scott this Thursday, June 17th at 8 PM.