ATMOSPHERIC DREAM-POP SWALLOWED UP BY VENUE SPACE
Story by Kate Kilgour
Recently acquired by Seattle’s Sub Pop Records, Memoryhouse played a CMW show at The Great Hall, slotted between Young Empires and Yukon Blonde. I can’t decide if it was the scheduling or the zero-degree rainstorm, or perhaps the vaulted venue, but something about this set left me in a slump.
Known for their whimsical dream-pop, this Guelph-based duo (and touring four piece) excels on record at creating visuals through music. Their sounds trigger imagery of grassy fields and similarly serene backdrops, fostering a desire to do a bit of eyes-closed twirling. The style that has garnered them industry attention and a SXSW appearance unfortunately did not translate appropriately to the stage. There was a total disconnect between the audience and the band, with my focus drifting up to the ceiling drapery instead of the artists.
Evan Abeele and Denise Nouvion started Memoryhouse as a cross-media endeavor, merging photography and ambient melodies, a foundation that they should not abandon. The group creates beautiful music, but trying to pass it off in a regular concert setting doesn’t do them any justice. Someone’s got to sign on to create an entire experience around a Memoryhouse show, involving projected films and interesting spaces, nurturing this drone-come-pop outlet.
They’re only going to get bigger, so a live set is definitely worth checking out, but just imagine the possibilities of creating a whole atmosphere around their work while you’re listening. There’s a lot of potential to be captured.
