With 2001’s Is This It, The Strokes ushered in a mainstream music fad of stripped down, lo-fi production and straightforward presentation that spread to seemingly countless bands in the ensuing months. A scarce three years later, however, a small Canadian band by the name of Arcade Fire (among others) rose to challenge these sparse constructions, reinjecting heavy layers of sound into the indie consciousness. This aesthetic has since gained prominence in the underground, a fact that was incredibly apparently at Park Slope’s Union Hall last night.

Brooklyn’s The Secret Life of Sofia started things off, launching into a heavily textured set featuring touches of Broken Social Scene, Arcade Fire, and more than a little Radiohead. Echoing keys and stretched notes from the lead guitar created a cavernous, spacey backdrop for the driving, syncopated percussion and provided an ethereal base for the lilting, Thom Yorke-esque lead vocal. Equally at home with both reverberating, meandering melody and gritty, up-tempo rhythms the band constructed a multifaceted, dynamic exterior sound supported by incredible sonic depth. The three-piece (five-piece when live) looks to release its first record later this year, and if the live show is any indication it will certainly be a record to look out for.

New York-based foursome Via Audio took the stage next offering a brand of lighthearted indie-pop alternating between dance and introspection. Jessica Martins’ sweetheart vocal channeled the smokyness of Metric’s Emily Haines and the disarming charm of Stars’ Amy Millan. Whether quick and quirky or slow and thickly atmospheric, Via Audio displayed an ability to evoke feeling and movement in the Monday evening crowd. Easy pop songs, deep, lush ballads and even a tune of unabashed, well executed funk poured from the stage into waiting ears (and feet) eliciting bobs and bounces from even the most dance-shy in attendance.

Any day in New York City it’s possible to hit the streets and turn up live music. Less common is walking into a club to find two excellent bands armed with technical skill, irrepressible personality, solid songwriting, and the ability to channel past influences without simply retreading old ground. The Secret Life of Sofia and Via Audio both put on a fantastic live show, but what’s more they are proficient at their craft and show enormous potential for future growth. If they stick to their current trajectories the sky is the limit for these two acts, even amidst the crowded launch pad that is New York.

© 2008 Eric Atienza for Listen In. Some rights reserved.

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