Maybe it’s all in the blood. Aside from good songwriting and solid hooks, some of the best rock ‘n’ roll bands have had genetics on their side. Consider the sibling acts that make up a fruitful rock family tree: Class acts like the Beach Boys and the Kinks; ’70s staples like AC/DC and Heart; underground heroes like the Replacements and the Jesus and Mary Chain; and newer faves like Doves and Morcheeba.
You can add two of St. Louis’ finest bands to that roster. Both Prune and Jenny Kavanaugh and her Band of Outlaws contain sets of siblings, not to mention each band has their own married couple. And like some rocking family reunion, both bands shared the basement stage at Lemmon’s this past Saturday night.
Prune played first, taking the opportunity to tout their new EP 8-Tracks for Free, an odds-and-ends collection produced as a freebie for friends and fans. Prune is bolstered by twin brothers Rich Ives and Bill Schwartz, and younger brother Wally Schwartz plays lead guitar. Yes, these brothers have different last names: Rich and bassist Jen Ives changed their names when they were wed. The only non-relation is hook-handy guitarist Bill Michalski, though his voice, musicianship and love of Converse All-Stars makes him brother enough.
Prune has described their music as “warm and imperfect,” and that seems an accurate enough description. Their songs occasionally stumble and are by no means complex, but Saturday’s performance was as spot-on as they’ve ever been. Newer songs like “Colorado Sky” and the brilliant “Roundabout” employ everything that is good about smart pop music, with controlled arrangements and soaring harmonies cradling sometimes tender, sometimes tortured lyrics.
Never shy about their love of dorky pop music, Prune closed their set with a cover of King Harvest’s “Dancing in the Moonlight,” one of the tracks included on the new EP. Classic stuff, and a jubilant end to a solid set from this semi-reclusive band.
Jenny Kavanaugh and her Band of Outlaws should be more familiar to the SLU community. They played the family picnic at the start of the fall semester and have done their fair share of KSLU shows and on-campus concerts. Their mix of country rock, Irish folk and pitch-perfect vocals make them a good bet no matter where they play.
Jenny and her Outlaws also know the importance of keeping it in the family, as older brother John O’Connor Kavanaugh plays guitar and sings, as well as helps write and arrange songs. Jenny’s husband Darrell Barber plays keyboards for the Outlaws, and the band is rounded out by Kurt Groestch, John “O’Bie” O’Brien and Pat Turek on guitar, bass and drums, respectively.
Their set on Saturday night featured most of the usual numbers, split between tracks from 2000’s I’ve Done My Time and as-yet-unrecorded songs. These newer tracks move more toward the rocking side, due in no small part to Groestch’s red-hot lead guitar lines.
Highlights included the searing “Miles Away” and “The West Coast of Clare,” a reworking of Andy Irvine’s Irish folk song. Like Prune, Jenny and her Outlaws decided to end their set with a cover, this time a straight-ahead version of “All the Way Home” from the classic mockumentary This is Spinal Tap. Unfortunately, requests for ‘Sex Farm” and “Big Bottom” were denied.
St. Louis’ music scene can be notoriously snotty, so it was nice to see two fine bands with no pretensions share the stage. The music was captivating, the graciousness was sincere and the atmosphere was friendly. But then, what else are families for?
