Papercuts Manchester Night & Day Cafe June 9th 2011 7/10

The adjectives reflective and dreamy sum up Papercuts for me. It seemed appropriate that they came on stage in Manchester late in the evening, after two support acts. The set was short (about 40 minutes) and tight: there was very little chatter between songs, and no attempt to turn it into a comedy act, as I endured elsewhere recently. It was obvious that these four guys are experienced professionals: they were confident enough to concentrate on evoking exactly the intended mood without any showmanship. Their low key subtlety should not imply that they are lifeless though: lead Jason Quever moved his body slowly, but was utterly committed.

Quever is San Francisco based, and their set featured several songs from the most recent of four albums, Fading Parade released in March this year on Sub Pop. The stand out song is Do What You Will, which is relatively upbeat and catchy, but Quever doesn’t seem to be aiming to create instantly memorable hits. It’s all about evoking a mellow atmosphere of contemplation, so there wasn't any wild dancing amongst this audience. The venue was intimate enough to enjoy a shared experience, and unlike my previous live music experience, it did come alive.

It occurred to me whilst at the gig that they would make an excellent double bill with Beach House: in fact I've since found out that they've toured with them, and with Grizzly Bear. Their sound features heavy use of reverb around Quever's high vocals, strong drum rhythms, shimmering guitars, and use of sustained synth organ chords. There’s definitely a hint of 60’s harmonies, but enough originality for it not to be a tribute to that era. Quever’s haunting voice, often soft, has a vulnerability which is touching; and whilst still the centre of gravity, he’s reached out and collaborated with other musicians for the new album.

Papercuts is surely introspective stoner music. The sound system at this venue was rather muddy in the bass and indistinct, but this didn't do too much harm. Papercuts' set is not one to analyse: it’s best to simply let it wash over you in a hazy, atmospheric blur, and it sounds all the better if you’re not completely sober. In the classical world, Debussy's a parallel, not in sound but in dreaminess.

If I have a criticism, it’s that there was little variety of mood; but I don't really mind this when the world they evoked is so pleasant. I've seen a review which heavily criticises Fading Parade for poor production, saying that all you are left with is ‘vague recollections and fragments’. This utterly misses the point: sometimes it’s right to relax and appreciate the present.

I like Papercuts’ recorded material, but don’t rate Fading Parade as one of my all-time favourites. They sound pretty similar live, but manage to generate enough magic to draw me in to their world. They probably won't change your life, and it wasn't one of those gigs I’ll be thinking about for months afterwards, but I’d certainly like to revisit this blurry experience.

7/10