Unknown Mortal Orchestra made a stop in Boston as part of their North American tour to celebrate the release of their latest album, V. Fresh off the heels of their first record in nearly five years, the band is touring all over the states and even into parts of Canada with Seafoam Walls and Amulets. Their latest double-LP was released on March 18th on Jagjaguar.
As the house lights dim, the stage is illuminated by a lone formation of fluorescent lights in the shape of a V, and a silhouette sits down at the keyboard. The lo-fi intricacies of the keys ring out while the rest of the band takes the stage and launches into the leading track off their new album, “The Garden.” “Hold on tight, ’cause it’s violent after dark in the garden,” sings frontman, Ruban Nielson, while the crowd warms up for an evening of psychedelia.
Born out of Auckland, New Zealand, the project came to fruition nearly thirteen years ago as a small solo project out of Neilson’s imagination with the anonymous release of “Ffunny Ffriends.” The single spread like wildfire across music forums, blogs and magazines until Neilson finally took credit for his work, penned as Unknown Mortal Orchestra (UMO). Joined by bassist Jacob Portrait, UMO has released five albums and found a new creative home in Portland, Oregon.
The atmosphere emphasized the mysterious and ominous vibe of the group with a stage flooded by fog and a single lit sign behind them, spelling out UMO. Ruban loosened up throughout the set, using all the space on stage to craft the revered sound they are known for. A mix of new and old songs (plus a Grateful Dead cover) proved to be an exciting set for the evening, even if the seven new tracks performed accounts for just half of the recent album.
UMO has been hailed over the years as an act to follow and keep tabs on, so it was great to see a group live up to the legend. Nielson may be the primary songwriter, but the band made it clear it is a group effort, playing to each other’s strengths to craft a perfect balance on stage. The band embarks on the EU leg of their tour before returning for a few U.S. festivals later this year.
Listen to Unknown Mortal Orchestra here!
Catch Unknown Mortal Orchestra on tour here!
