Lowell - AGO First Thursday (Mar 5/15)

The drummer was in place, the guitarist tweaking the laptop in anticipation of the arrival of the lady of the hour.. Lowell snaked through the crowd with white lights draped along her silhouette on her way to appearing on stage with a smile, a semi-transparent white sweater and some horrid pink-eye boxer shorts. Banter was kept to a minimum making for longish breaks between songs and the little interaction that did happen was awkward and forced. (And I like Lowell.) The opener about The Shit We Do For Love was new as was the next tune; both seem to have taken the gloss off for a slightly edgier sound than the majority of We Loved Her Dearly, with beats bordering on bangers. These new songs worked and she sang them earnestly which couldn't quite be said of the core of the set. Something to do with the spaced-out, all-things-are-magical persona detracted from the presentation of 'hits' - The Bells, Money - especially her careless voice cracking. Even on Palm Trees and Cloud 69 I was thrown, though it may have been the underaged kids who had snuck in front of us (therefore directly in front of Lowell) and appeared to be taking advantage of the alcoholic experience. Funnily enough on the finale, written this week, she appeared more sincere than the previously well-worn tunes and though it wasn't the poppiest number it translated well. I implore Lowell to stick with the skills that brought her this far and lessen the cultivation of this image.