Going to see a band without an LP to its name is a devoted choice, but going to see said band that also just got a Rolling Stone writeup as one of the magazine’s need to knows of 2017 is a move by a fan who knows they might not have a chance at intimate viewings for much longer – despite the shortage of musical content.
Cigarettes After Sex stopped by the Boot & Saddle last Saturday for a sold-out evening of melancholic lo-fi and took us through their repertoire of ballads in the dimmest of red light. The songs are quite romantic, and each plays out like a guitar-scored lullaby. Surrealistic photographer Man Ray’s Anatomies covers their EP; their visual aesthetic is simple, black and white, delicate, much like the music itself.
The band released their first music in 2012, where it floated around online for a few years, and then, in 2016 – almost out of nowhere – songs started getting millions of plays on YouTube and other platforms. Now, they’re on an international tour, and they do not seem used to the sudden spotlight. Their presence on stage was muted, and the show played out much like a conversation rather than a performance.
If you’re just catching on to their material and want more: the Brooklyn-based band reportedly has an LP due out later this year and will make long-awaited additions to their beautiful, meandering, preexisting discography.
