Like most people, I often gauge how good a band will be during the sound check by calculating the percentage of band members (other than female ones) that have beards. Also, the presence of a pedal steel somewhere on the stage is a huge plus. In that sense, Phosphorescent was batting a thousand even before they began their all-too-brief set at the packed Mohawk Patio.
Matthew Houk, the only permanent member, sang his countrified songs with quiet confidence, and his scruffy touring band provided sometimes understated, sometimes roiling accompaniment. It was a bit surprising that an act who recently released an album of Willie Nelson covers didn't work some of those tracks into its set, especially since Austin loves Willie. With time so short, however, I was glad to have the chance to hear Phosphorescent's own songs, which reminded me a bit of an alt-country Okkervil River.
Halfway through, Phosphorescent played a new song, "I wish I was in heaven sitting down." Besides reminding the crowd how much we wanted to sit down, the song had a more unadulterated old school country western feel than what came previously. But adulteration of musical styles isn't necessarily a bad thing, and I enjoyed the dissonant guitar and brooding sound of the closing song more than the new track. Nevertheless, spanning the continuum of country western to alt in just a handful of songs, Brooklyn, NY-based Phosphorescent brought something for everyone who managed to get a spot on the patio to enjoy.
