Anyone who thinks they couldn’t possibly hear another straight-out-of-Brooklyn indie band should think again. While many new artists and bands rely on a rotation of musical gimmicks or trademarks to establish themselves, boy/girl duo Savoir Adore win over fans by giving them the best of everything.
Composed of college friends Deidre Muro (singer-songwriter/keyboard) and Paul Hammer (drums), Savoir Adore never really meant to be a band. The project began as an experiment when the two spontaneously recorded an EP in Hammer’s parents’ house. “The Adventures of Mr. Pumpernickel and the Girl With Animals in Her Throat” found surprising success, so Muro and Hammer decided to keep going.
Exploring the idea that one band can encompass old-school folk-rock and new-school electronica in one sound, Savoir’s initial spontaneity of action carries into their sound. “In the Wooded Forest” is the band’s full-length debut, a slightly more polished — though no less authentic — release than their previous work. The leadoff single “We Talk Like Machines” is all at once lingering guitar lines, climbing bass beats and simple, melodic vocals. The track is immediately charming in its nonchalance; from an easy tune, the music escalates to what nearly feels like a march — Savoir Adore’s movement is dynamic.
So layered are Muro’s vocals that her voice seems like a chorus in and of itself, and Hammer’s voice works as more than just a harmony or a supplement. Even at full volume, the drummer’s singing provides gentle, melodic susurrations that quietly command attention.
If Savoir’s sound seems a little too much like easy listening, the duo keeps audiences interested with tracks like “Bodies,” a rhythmic, jumpy, back-and-forth rock song reminiscent of early ‘90s dance tracks a la “Groove Is in the Heart.” “Bodies” gives Savoir the edge they need, as Hammer’s vocals rise to meet Muro’s, and the two seem to tease both each other and the listener. In front of tick-tocking beats, Muro and Hammer repeatedly — and convincingly — promise their listeners a guarantee they can follow up on: “You can have it all.” The track has been gaining momentum and was even picked up by Marc Jacobs for their “Mix It Up” playlist that they offered to customers with purchase.
The variety in Savoir’s music comes as no surprise when the two reveal their influences. As they explained to the music blog Avenue 61, their music is shaped by “The three B’s: Bach, Beethoven and ... The Beatles. Bach for counterpoint, Beethoven for the romanticism and The Beatles for melody.” Savoir is concerned with giving listeners the best of the best and prove that there’s room to move around, even within a genre, and even if that genre is “Melodramatic Popular Song,” as listed on their MySpace.
Currently touring the country and picking up local openers in different cities, Savoir has taken live lineup from two to five, adding friends David Perlick-Molinari, Sasha Brown and Tim McCoy to their live show. The added members allow Savoir to explore and perform the fuller sound they created on “In the Wooded Forest,” giving depth to their performance and a stronger sense of life to their show.
Savoir Adore played the Velvet Lounge on U Street on Friday, Jan. 22, but don’t worry if you missed them — they’re stopping by D.C. again on March 25. You can reach this staff writer at kcasino@theeagleonline.com.
