The Lumineers, who are nominated for two Grammys this year and whose self-titled debut album recently went Gold, play indie folk rock at its best. The Denver-based trio are one of this year’s most spirited and unique artists, and they played a sold-out DAR Constitution Hall last Wednesday.
This Mile High City band consists of Wesley Schultz (Guitar, Vocals), Neyla Pekarek (Cello, Piano, Vocals), and Jerimiah Fraites (Drums, Percussion, Mandolin, Vocals). The trio has the confidence and the talent to suck you right in to their own brand of subtle and joyful vocal hooks.
Schultz, who takes care of most of the lead vocals, provides guitar like an anchor. His bright, punctual rhythms are a steady, clean base for the trio to build their songs upon. The thumping, almost foot-stomp-style percussion is topped off with beautiful chiming mandolin. The whole thing is garnished with the slow and persistent motion of a seemingly forever-present cello.
They all sing, they all smile as they grasp their instruments, they all dance, and they are all happy to be on stage. It takes quite a bit of talent and a lot of patience to make music like The Lumineers. Their music is dynamic: quiet as a whisper at times, followed with the heavy pound of a drum or an unexpected shout like the one in their most familiar, still-chart-climbing single “Hey Ho.”
Their sound is a perfect example of a band making something so difficult, look, and sound, so easy to do. These guys, and gal, are the real thing: music in its simplest form—straight talent.
