If you haven't heard of Hercules and Love Affair, it would seem that you are not alone. Despite their critically acclaimed self-titled debut, the Brooklyn based musical project remains under the radar to many musical fans outside of New York. This is a shame. I had listened to their album at least a dozen times before seeing them live at the Middle East Downstairs in Cambridge. This is an unusual occasion for me. All too often I show up to a concert to listen to a band for either the first time or after only a couple of album spins. But this time I showed up with expectations and they were high. Their album is excellent.
While Hercules and Love Affair didn't blow me away live, it's just danceable enough that you know DJ Andy Butler (the musical genius behind the group) is on to something big. But the problem with playing live is that Mr. Butler has had to abandon the subtle sounds that define Hercules and Love Affair. While Pendulum recently rocked the Middle East Downstairs with an intense performance, Hercules and Love Affair have to contend with making songs like "Iris" and "This is My Love" work in a loud, over-the-top environment. Nomi Ruiz brings the sexual chops to energize any male-dominated crowd and her stage presence is good, but the whole experience feels muddled. Is this intelligent dance music or are we just trying to get bodies to gyrate?
I fell most in love with the contributions of Kim Ann Foxman who provides vocals that truly enrich the project and give it a depth that proves just how clever Andy Butler can be. He's truly put together a group that works together as a whole and even at the loud Middle East Downstairs you can appreciate the contribution of each member (including the fantastic trumpets!). You just wish that the subtleties could shine through as well as they do on the album. As this is also their first tour (starting in May of this year), it's understandable that they're still finding an appropriate stage presence. I wish them much success and would look forward to seeing them again live in Boston.
Final verdict: I highly recommend picking up their album for your collection. If you like what you're hearing, you'll enjoy seeing them live.
