Indie’s Broadway Musical

Noah Georgeson has dipped into virtually every aspect of the Indie rock scene for his debut release, Find Shelter. He has gone from playing guitar with his San Francisco band, The Pleased, to producing his former bandmate Joanna Newsom’s The Milk-Eyed Mender to playing with and producing for Devendra Banhart. Find Shelter is a revealing and layered record that reflects his diverse musical experience. Noah Georgeson has one of those voices that takes the listener to another world. He has a rich, powerful tone and perfect annunciation that accompany his impeccable classical guitar work. His lyrics are playful and esoteric while remaining sincere and enticing. Noah’s use of imagery is playful but strangely dark, such as in “Priests of Cholera” where he sings “All silver saplings where once green saplings grew / sharpen to needles / that puncture jungles / grow cathedrals / priests of cholera / are reaching out / a light that shades us from the sun.” In addition, he sings in a flawless baritone, an underused voice type in modern rock.

Find Shelter is quite a dark record. It actually sounds a little like the musical in which Georgeson belongs. One can imagine him waltzing while singing onstage in “Glorious Glory” and “Build and Work” in particular. Georgeson is credited as the writer, arranger, producer and performer on Find Shelter which is a feat considering the record’s three complex instrumental songs in addition to its other tracks.

ame Find Shelter is extremely different from anything else that has come out recently. It sounds like John McCrea of Cake singing dark show tunes to classical guitar with the National Symphony Orchestra in the background. “Angry Afternoon” and “Hand Me, Please a City” in particular are excellent examples of this dark, enticing sound. Indie rockers looking for something softer than the Decemberists for their darkrooms, opium dens, or whatever, should pick up Find Shelter as soon as possible.