Like Robert Moses, the New York architect that the Canadian band Bob Moses is named for, Tom Howie and Jimmy Vallance are on their way to becoming architects of a fresh style of music, departing from the current trends of the electronic genre.
Bob Moses opened at their Sept. 29 show at 9:30 Club with the first track of their Days Gone By album, “Like It Or Not,” a title representative of their boldness in breaking the status quo of music. The song evolves from just a few subtle notes, then grows in complexity, repeating a set of nine lines that tell the story of emergence in the music industry. Each song in their set contrasts strong bass beats with smooth vocal melodies that merge with repetitive, electronic instrumentals, characteristic of traditional electronic music. However, the band changes expectations through percussive interjections and guitar reminiscent of twentieth century music motifs. The lyrics are the boldest endeavor, introducing heartfelt and poetic diction into a genre that often excludes lyrics entirely.
The quintessential electronic styles of the opening artists, Weval and No Regular Play, effectively fed a concert structure that emphasized Bob Moses’s utter uniqueness. Weval shyly took to the stage with their laptops and control panels, unleashing sounds that were skillful, yet cliché. The product sufficient for a club setting: predictable rhythms that were loud and repetitive to the point of auricular numbness. No Regular Play continued the pattern of long, repetitive electronic tracks in their performance, differentiating from the norm with a clever integration of the trumpet, which stylistically demanded greater attention than their lulling, blended vocals.
As Bob Moses donned the stage, the audience was primed for a new, unique electronic sound. Their hit song “Tearing Me Up” is the epitome of this achievement. The song begins with a powerful, popping beat and systemic rhythm – then the vocalist launches into a lyrical story, describing an emotional struggle that guides the energy of the instrumental. The poetic lyrics are laden with meaning and metaphor, “So beat down playing by your rules / If you’re a joker, then I’m a fool,” yet are presented euphonically, preserving the artistic emphasis on the power of sound itself that is characteristic of electronic music. Their music has the power to unify both fans of modern electronic music and indie and alternative listeners by stressing the musical score as an artform while leaving audiences with a thought-provoking message.
Although this fascinating mixture indicates Bob Moses’ current talent and a profound potential for future composition, the group has room to grow in the practice of performance itself. Despite being the third act of the concert, Bob Moses struggled to establish an initial energy amid the audience. Although prolonged, by the time Bob Moses reached their final song, “Tearing Me Up,” the entire audience was moving in unison with the music, singing to the familiar lyrics, and clapping to the beat. Enthusiastic fans demanded an encore, which Bob Moses answered with a pair of lesser-known songs that maintained nearly the same level of energy throughout the room.
Ultimately, Bob Moses distinguished themselves as a band that values an artistry of both sound and meaning, maintaining a sincere and relatable persona as they stayed for a drink with the audience after the show’s conclusion. The group consistently demonstrated stage-confidence, comfort, and a passion for sound from beginning to end, casually moving with the music they created and forging a personal connection with the audience. Bob Moses delivers a sound that doesn’t need a remix to be danceable: their style is intrinsically a remix of electronic music as we know it.
