Musical Wednesdays: "I Don't Expect a Southern Girl to Know the Northern Lights"

I just recently discovered the band Bowerbirds, and in that discovery I learned that I am behind the curve in listening to them. They apparently toured with John Vanderslice and the Mountain Goats while I wasn't looking. They're a North Carolina band, and there is something very Mid-Atlantic to Southern about their sound.

The first song I heard, "Northern Lights," is really blues/folk-inspired. Every time I hear the opening chords, I think it's going to be Ryan Adams. The song's lyrics (one line is the title of this post) are really simple and interesting: "I don't need you to catch my wandering mind," and later, "Yes I do need to know my place." The contrast between wandering and staying is reflected in the composition: there's a way they walk around the song, with the guitars and drums really settling into some notes and beats harder and for a longer time than others. It really reminds me of Bon Iver's "Skinny Love." They're a lot tougher-sounding than Bon Iver (well, sometimes. Sometimes Bon Iver really turns things up). There's also something in them that reminds me of Fleet Foxes, but again, I think their sound is a bit harder. Fleet Foxes seem to be more about the vocal arrangements and the sounds that the voices can make by layering and coming in at different points, whereas the Bowerbirds are more about the arrangement as a whole.

I would love to see them live, but apparently I just missed them in Philadelphia. Just missed them as in they were there last week. I need a better way to keep track of who is playing nearby. I want to go to more shows. I can't wait to see the Decemberists in August.