WE USED TO CUT THE GRASS IN ASBURY PARK
ASBURY LANES — ASBURY PARK, NJ
Self-described "large, weird band from New Jersey," We Used to Cut the Grass performed at Asbury Lanes in Asbury Park, NJ on July 19th. They were celebrating the release of their sophomore LP, the aptly named We Used to Cut the Grass #2, and had a blast doing so. It was a night of genre fusion, dynamic danceable beats, and blistering musicianship.
The night opened with a set from Justice Cow from Providence, RI, and Boston, MA. Their songs evoked an indie flair that was equal parts heartfelt, introspective lyrics and powerful vibes. The song “Unrelenting” featured a heavy chorus with guitar-fuzzed goodness and emotional vocals, both from bandleader Jessica Kion. On the back half of their set, the track “Ruminations” started with a softer, meditative guitar riff. It slowly built into a wrenching explosion of vocal layers and a wash of crash cymbals before retreating like a wave, leaving only voices from both the stage and crowd singing along.
After the crowd was warmed up, Art Thief turned the temperature up further with their blend of electronic flair, danceable beats, and dense melodic runs. Led by bassist Samuel Smith, the setlist swung from the soaring vocals and keyboards on “Behold a Queen” to the intricate hooks and unusual time signature shifts of “Alley Cat”. Some songs, such as “Weed Is Tight” in the second half of the set, combined a tight, funky beat with lighthearted lyrics about a topic I’m sure the reader can surmise. After relishing in Art Thief’s sound, the crowd was primed for the main event.
From the first notes of their set, the entire venue was filled to the brim by We Used to Cut the Grass’s 10-piece band. From their ripping horn section to the frenetic pulse of their two simultaneous drummers, the band had it in their sights to amp up the energy of the night and deliver a banger of a show to celebrate their album’s release. After releasing their first LP four years back and led by bassist/composer Cody McCorry, We Used to Cut the Grass’s sound featured a diverse, freewheeling sound that sprinkled samples, synths, and strings over a foundation of horn-rich driving beats. They opened the set with the track “The Play Shep Wrote in ‘92”, the band stretched their legs with a sweeping orchestral-inspired intro that let the strings and horns put their full talents on display.
Midway through the set, the band introduced visuals projected over the whole stage, including the band members, adding another layer to the intricate compositions being performed. The projected visuals, especially added to the song “Hot Vegan Summer”, with loud, colorful designs adding to the off-kilter fun of Faye Fadem’s lyrics depicting a trip to Buffalo Wild Wings to try their vegan options.
The weather outside was drizzling, but the horns inside were sizzling on the track “Post Nuclear Terrorism”. The track zagged from the rest of the set with a New Orleans-inspired boisterous jazz vibe featuring killer solos from trombonist Ian Gray, bassist Cody McCorry, and Trumpeter Joe Gullace. Throughout the song, there were pockets of couples flailing their arms dancing, with a slew of hooting and hollering after each solo.
The setlist wrapped up with a rendition of the lone ballad on the new album, “Scully’s Waltz”, named after Cody’s beloved dog. The song was a mellow salve to the raucous energy of the evening, featuring plenty of tender runs on the keys, a soulful sax solo, and some whole-band silent beats for maximum contrast to drive the composition home. With the crowd calling for an encore, We Used to Cut the Grass closed out the night with a double-track composition of “Visitor’s Pomp I / II” from their first. The Horn-forward beat provided a fantastic button to the experience, leaving the crowd buzzing and hungry for the next installment.
You can listen to We Used to Cut the Grass’ New album We Used to Cut the Grass #2 wherever you consume music.
