Fool’s Gold
The Troubadour
Sept. 29
2.5 paws
For many alternative indie rock bands, their sound often seems confined by studio polishing, which in turn makes their live acts more lively and energetic. Arcade Fire, Phoenix and Florence and the Machine are all acts that make their albums almost difficult to listen to because their live performances are so exciting, fresh and bursting with energy.
Fool’s Gold, a Los Angeles-based band with a South African infused pop rock sound, however, is not one of those artists. The small alternative band, which injects its soft rock sound with catchy guitars and synths, performed at the Troubadour on Sept. 29 night to an intimate crowd.
At the end of the brief performance, lead singer Luke Top explained that the show was meant to showcase the band’s new album, “Leave No Trace,” an album filled with laid-back, semi-danceable songs that would play perfectly on a relaxing day at the beach.
What may limit Fool’s Gold from fully exploding in its vibrant percussion and lively acoustic sounds is Top’s soft yet dark voice. His voice is similar to that of Arcade Fire’s leading male singer Win Butler, except slightly more pronounced and sullen. His voice clashes with the South African influenced pop sound of the other band members’ more enthusiastic rhythms and riffs.
If people were to listen to the album after the concert as an effort to pinpoint what was missing in the performance, they would discover that his voice is almost identical to the recording. Therein lies the problem. What Fool’s Gold is missing in its performance is a sense of improvisation, something to keep the audience enthralled and entertained. The audience did seem receptive to Fool’s Gold, because it was a generally good performance with its gentle swaying and light dancing, but the performance was painted by the numbers in that it offered nothing new or interesting to Fool’s Gold’s sound.
Another problem may lie in the body of work itself, as the second album “Leave No Trace,” was perceived as too mainstream for the band. However, fans seemed to enjoy songs like “The Dive” and “Wild Window,” but those unfamiliar with these tracks might have felt that they had just heard the same song twice.
This isn’t to say that the entire performance was one monotonous song. Throughout the set there were many tenor saxophone solos that infused the songs with a sense of freshness. One of the most inspired songs, “Tel Aviv,” which Top described as a song about Los Angeles and home, performed entirely in Hebrew, was one of the most enjoyable aspects of their performance.
Ultimately, Fool’s Gold has a lot of potential in terms of musical improvisation and stage presence, but as of now anyone would be a fool to expect anything more than what they hear on the album.