Coming from the pout-pourri of indefatigable creativity that is the city of Chicago, Bill MacKay inevitably and historically ends up with a benign shadow hanging over him that inserts him into a kind of continuum at the intersection between the inventions of so-called post-rock – Gastr Del Sol, Pullman or Jim O’Rourke – and the songwriting tradition – Wilco, Freakwater, Sam Prekop or Jim O’Rourke. With an ever-pressing topicality, partly illuminated by the work of Drag City, MacKay’s Chicago is reflected in his adventurous spirit and continuous act, a reflection of the celebrated label – even beyond geographical coordinates. Between folk-tinged guitar songs, somewhere between the enchantment of Ben Chasny in his more earthy moments and the more luminous delicacy of Nick Drake, and instrumental landscapes of sun-drenched psychedelia punctuated by keys and percussion, ‘Locust Land’ – released earlier this year, following the highly recommended ‘Fountain Fire’ – is another sure document of a discreet but undeniably pertinent trajectory, which goes from experimentalism to song, with all the points in between, with grace. A superb guitarist, MacKay has also collaborated extensively, counting people equally aligned in this spirit such as Steve Gunn, Nathan Bowles or Ryley Walker among his colleagues, a clear demonstration of a natural syncretic ability to do things in a simple but always forceful and thoughtful way. BS
Music
Concerts
Aya
Sat25.10.2510:00PM
Galeria Zé dos Bois
