Concert Review | Mutual Benefit sticks to gorgeous, stripped-down set
April 15Mutual Benefit's sound is quixotic. The indie outfit, created by bandleader Jordan Lee, is adventurous and daring, two attributes which their music - a unique mix of folk, atmospheric pop, experimental nu-wave and Americana - reflects. What might seem like an overwhelming amalgamation of styles ends up blending beautifully - this skill has earned them recognition from music blogs and top critics alike. Thus, Mutual Benefit's performance at Tufts on April 11, given alongside fellow indie band Creaturos, was a special treat. The group played to a room of about 30 students eager to hear the latest work by one of indie music's finest. Their set was simple and modest: old analog televisions with static-filled screens balanced atop boxes that were placed in front of a background of multicolored Christmas lights. The set gave the illusion that the band was playing for friends in a parent's basement - and with their nostalgic and easygoing vibe, the soft sounds and lilting rhythms of their pieces certainly reflected that sense. While twangy notes from the violin played up the folksy Americana side of the band's sound, steady percussion and guitars simultaneously reminded fans how Mutual Benefit has been influenced by groups like Washed Out and Arcade Fire. It was easiest to hear Mutual Benefit's intoxicating blend of woodsy folk and exotic orchestral splendor on mellow songs like "Strong River" (2013) and "Golden Wake" (2013). In these performances, Jake Falby powerfully lead the way on his electric violin, creating sounds that felt uncharted and limitless. Lee, the band's founder and lead singer, maintained an entrancing presence to match this music. The band's multi-instrumentalist performer played keyboards for the duration of the show while he also crooned out melodies and softly spoke between pieces. His tone was subdued, much like the calm pieces he was introducing, but he was still charming enough to joke with the audience, inserting some sly boyish charm along the way. Despite his endearing interludes, Lee also made sure to let the music speak for itself. The joy of a Mutual Benefit concert is not that it produces an overwhelming desire to start a mosh pit, but rather the sense of calm it emanates. This tranquility was likely produced by Falby's flawless bow strokes on his violin, tones that resembled soundtracks from Tai Chi classes at mountain yoga retreats. The whole concert was moving and spiritual - a far cry from the sensory overload of a high-intensity pop concert. In fact, nothing about Mutual Benefit's music feels overloaded; it is raw but still full-bodied, textured and layered. The combination of bass, guitar, drums, keyboard, vocals and violin could have been cacophonous, yet Mutual Benefit made it sound like a symphony. Their music was intelligently composed and delivered. "Strong Swimmer" (2013) was likely their most powerful performance of the night, with its chimes and slow ascension of violin sounding reminiscent of fellow indie band Fleet Foxes. The percussion rhythms and instrumental notes were evocative of traditional Eastern music, yet Lee's haunting and insistent voice gave the music a unique flavor. After about an hour, Mutual Benefit thanked their audience for a lovely show and began disassembling their set to make room for Creaturos. If the quality and musicality of their work is any indication of things to come, then Mutual Benefit will undoubtedly soon be playing on much bigger stages and to much bigger crowds.
