Live Review: The Finches
The Academy of Sciences, 12/21/06

Words and Photo by Emily Logan

The Finches - "Daniel's Song" mp3

The sinosauropteryx prima is a birdlike dinosaur with short, feather-like fibers on its body. That's what I learned at the Academy of Sciences on Thursday. Well, that, and The Finches are as graceful live as they are on their records.

"Third Thursdays" is what the Academy calls their $5 special night, when the museum stays open past its normal 5 p.m. closing time and hosts bands or djs whose music echoes through the entire place on speakers. The sign in the entrance displayed messages like, "Bar Located in Aquarium", which foreshadowed the odd but somehow fitting mix of museum exhibits, music and alcohol.

It was a long night, but perfect for a slow, educational walk through the museum, where the penguins were grooming themselves in the dark, and the museum guides walked around with a baby alligator to pet. DJ Dakini started around 5 p.m. with her mix of indie and dance music, and at 6 came the soothing sounds of the two-piece Jean Marie.

By 7 the museum was filled with beer-nursing folks still looking at the exhibits, and a crowd gathered in the lobby to hear The Finches. Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs and Aaron Morgan took the stage casually (the music was in the lobby because the penguins are sensitive to vibrations, one of the employees told us), and as soon as they began to play, the atmosphere of the room went from bustling to relaxed. I thought immediately that theirs is the kind of music that makes you wish the people next to you would stop talking (in my case, loudly and in German).

The chemistry between Riggs and Morgan is captivating live. The guitar sounds blend as they do on the albums, but the unspoken communication between the two is fascinating to watch. Morgan's voice was more prominent than on the albums, which created a lovely richness. The band played material from their 2005 EP "Six Songs", as well as from their upcoming full-lenth "Human Like a House", which comes out Jan. 30.

The set began with the new album's title track. Riggs' graciousness is striking live as she gently sways to the music and her crystal voice envelopes the melodies. Her casual banter between songs relieved any pressure of being too formal and even the mistakes were charming. The highlight of the show was my favorite Finches song "Daniel's Song," which was bare and moving live.

Though the set was a short seven songs, it was soothing. With the songs ingrained in my head for the next couple of days, things were somehow easier to deal with.