Videopoem reviews The Sadies at The Mercury Lounge in NYC

Experiencing a Sadies show is like going on a trip. From the opening whirling guitars, the listener is embarked on some strange psychedelic western or biker movie a vibe which was in strong abundance on their recent NYC visit to the Mercury Lounge.

The Sadies bring with them a long history but at the same time they are always in the present as evidenced by the release of new CD entitled Internal Sounds which they played several cuts off. Videopoem has always liked The Sadies because they combine a ferocious music style with great musical dexterity while at the same time displaying a great sensitivity with such introspective songs such as Another Year which chronicles the path of the outcast and Kut Corners, a dark tune about the desolation of life but still moving and asking for no sympathy echoed by the line, “don’t cry for me.”

With this ability to play in so many musical textures and signatures, The Sadies take the listener on a journey through the land of roots music and beyond. Starting out in 1994, the Canadian based band has produced over nineteen albums. They have played with a who’s who of rock royalty including Garth and Maud Hudson, Andre Williams, John Doe, John Spencer, and Neko Case amongst others. One of the highlights of this show was their cover of “Leave Me Alone” by Ronnie Hawkins and appearing on their cd In Concert.

A salient points of The Sadies, however, is their ability to be here and in the now. So upon their visit to New York we witnessed the release of their latest album, Internal Sounds, on alt record label Yep Records. New song such as The First Five minutes shows the band is not content to exist in the past while casting a weary eye on the present. Notable lines such as “cross your fingers when you tell your lies” spells the bands outlook these days.

The Sadies Live In NYC from robert dene on Vimeo.