John Vanderslice & Karl Blau

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More About

• Karl Blau
• John Vanderslice

At first blush, putting John Vanderslice and Karl Blau on the same bill feels strange. Vanderslice writes lovely, palatable songs. With simple touches of analog recording, 2007's Emerald City and 2009's Romanian Names feature synth melodies and charming vocals. Karl Blau, on the other hand, doesn't really fall into any genre; instead, he combines a lot of them--drone, pop, blues, world --into unexpected arrangements. Last time he played Seattle, he brought his own voice-distorting microphone in order to convey the weirdness of his songs. What Blau and Vanderslice share, however, is the ability to endlessly entertain: both are captivating to watch recreate their complex songs live. In that way, they're brothers in musical arms. With Love Sick.PAIGE RICHMOND
Sun., June 13, 8 p.m., 2010