Dawes: Higher Ground, South Burlington, VT 7/31/12

At roughly mid-set of Dawes’ July 31st appearance at Higher Ground, front-man Taylor Goldsmith flipped his center stage mic stand around to face the audience as a means of capturing them singing along to “When My Time Comes,” which the approximately 125 attendees did with remarkably practiced-sounding precision. It was a brash move on the part of the Los Angeles band’s /guitarist/vocalist/songwriter, especially since his invitation to help the group was offered only moments before and seemed to be only in passing.  But it was testament to Dawes’ faith in their fans, not to mention their devotion and, above all, another gesture of quiet self-assurance on the part of a band earnestly devoted to their craft and their listeners.

Dawes didn’t have to work hard to win over the group as they had two summers ago opening for Brett Dennen. But the quartet didn’t take for granted the attention they received from an audience who was in large part seeing Dawes for the first time. The ninety-minute set was as well executed as it was well-conceived and even though it was bereft of melodrama—Dawes thrives on the small touches not histrionics—it delivered more than a little genuine drama.

Those moments came in a variety of forms. Griffin Goldsmith’s lead vocal on "How Far We’ve Come” did not in any way detract from the hard-hitting panache with which he played the drums throughout the performance. Meanwhile, bassist Wylie Gelber and keyboardist Tay Straithairn were quietly assertive, neither calling attention to themselves, but consistently making their respective presences felt.

Two new tunes, which may appear on a forthcoming album Dawes are set to record after the summer tour, were a study in contrasts: “Something in Common” displayed gospel/r&b overtones, the likes of which mentor Jackson Browne would be proud, while “From A Window Seat” was a snappy piece of pure rock and roll similar to that which keynoted their second album Nothing is Wrong.

Two other selections from that album, “Time Spent in Los Angeles” and “A Little Bit of Everything,” particularly the second, are the kind of infectious provocative songs that fans of My Morning Jacket and their ilk are likely to find moving and memorable. Yet it’s reflective of Dawes’ refusal to overplay or over-sing that Taylor Goldsmith’s keening tenor is never drenched in reverb a la Jim James. As in this man’s guitar work, solos of which invariably come after all the vocals are done (as if to add punctuation to the emotional expression), his singing is all the more resonant because it is economical and direct.

But then, this band is nothing if not to the point. On the slightly oblique “If I Wanted Someone,” which another kindred spirit of LA, the late Warren Zevon, would admire for its accusatory edge, the statement Dawes offers is unmistakable. Yet the quartet’s serious intent doesn’t belie an easygoing good humor. Early in the evening, Taylor Goldsmith commented “it doesn’t take a lot of people to have a good time” and during the encore of “My Way Back Home,” he sincerely offered everyone present a chance to meet the band at the conclusion of the show. This explicit invitation to connection mirrored the subliminal intent in the band’s best material and throughout this night’s appearance in Vermont.

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