Live performance:**** Times Seen:1
First EP (2004)-9.7
Second EP (2005)-9.7
A Grey Sigh In A Flower Husk (2007)-9.8
Red Album (2007)-9.8
Blue Record (2009)-9.2
Yellow & Green (2012)-8.4
Purple (2015)-8.7
Genre 1: Progressive rock
Genre 2: Sludge metal
Genre 3: Alternative
Genre 4: Dad metal
For Fans Of: Mastodon, Isis, Clutch
Formed In: 2003
Status: Touring
Label: Relapse
-Live Review+Discography Overview-
So, I had the opportunity to see Baroness right around the time that I was jamming them hard. Naturally I copped a ticket before even checking out the other bands they were playing with. I travelled to Webster Hall by myself to see them. It was definitely worth it, but they still left me a bit disappointed and upset. Why? Because Baroness hardly played any old music. As is common with my taste in music, my favorite releases are the earliest ones. First, Second, “Third”, Red, and Blue are hands down my favorite releases. Baroness ripped back then. They were sludgy and fast paced, but also melodic and elegant. Their song composition was unpredictable and exciting. In later albums they felt more of a formulaic hard rock band with only hints of the band they used to be. What happened? Maybe the singer can’t do old songs any more because of the growling yells? Maybe they just hate their old music? I have no idea, but the best I got was them playing “Isak” and the instrumental track off of Blue “Ogeeche Hymnal”. The six tracks that comprise the first two EPs have a perfect dynamic, excellent flows and progression, and the most impressive drumming and guitar that the band has shown. Despite this, I wasn’t expecting to hear the two EPs live because of their age, but I did feel insulted that they only played one Red song and one Blue song, yet Baroness played almost all of Yellow & Green and Purple.
Yellow & Green is definitely what I would consider the band’s low point, as that music is essentially progressive dad rock. However, even that album has it’s merit, and it’s still a good album, it’s only ‘bad’ in comparison to the albums that came before it.
Despite their choice for a set list, they did sound tight as hell. It was like listening to the records live, but better. In addition to their sound, they also had cool stage lighting effects. The stage was illuminated by whatever color album the song they were playing was off of. (Red, Blue, Yellow & Green, Purple). There was a point where they started playing a song and the lights were still red-trust me, I was hype- but then I realized it was a song off Purple. The same time that I realized that, the stage engineer did too cause they actually switched the lighting mid-song that time. Talk about a sad face.
Because I try my best to be unbiased, I’m giving Baroness four stars for their live performance, because if you happen to like the last two albums the best, then you were probably having the time of your life. They were energetic and powerful. I’m still glad I got to see them and experience them live. Maybe when I get a time machine I can watch Red Album or Blue Record played live all the way through. That’d be tight.
Reccomended tracks:Tower Falls, Wanderlust, The Sweetest Curse, Jake Leg, Chlorine & Wine.
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