Pattern Is Movement — heirs to the Hall and Oates legacy?
Please note: This article is published as an archive copy from Philadelphia City Paper. My City Paper is not affiliated with Philadelphia City Paper. Philadelphia City Paper was an alternative weekly newspaper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The last edition was published on October 8, 2015.
Photo by Peter English
It’s been about six years since the last Pattern Is Movement full-length and, judging by their groovy, poppy, freaky new self-titled piece of work, the Philly duo (Andrew Thiboldeaux and Chris Ward) hasn’t changed a bit.
But maybe we have?
Are we ready to accept that these two kinda burly, sorta nerdy dudes are not just the future but the present of Philly soul? Will we listen to the mopey vocals on “Wonderful” and the jolty mood-shifts on “Light of the World” and finally recognize that these guys are heirs to the Hall and Oates legacy?
Can we, as a city, find it in our gaping, pothole hearts to embrace this weirdo band — one that can cover D’Angelo and Beyonce, but still earn the “experimental” tag — as our own? The thing is, we shouldn’t be trying to listen past the droney parts and the plinky parts and the hypnotic Nintendo-xylophone parts. We can love those parts, too.
Listen to “Climb to Me.” Sway to the looping strings. Ride out the rushing cymbal whooshes. Bob your head to the mel-odious first verse, which appears like a rogue wave to knock us out of the haze and into straight-up pop. Then comes the chorus, an infectious vocal hook we want to sing along to, if only we knew the words. “Shiver she go” — is that what they’re saying? Maybe “Shiver sugar?” Doesn’t matter. It’s catchy. It fills our souls. We haven’t felt like this for so long.
Pattern Is Movement plays Thu., April 3, 8:30 p.m., $12, with Yellow Ostrich and Busses, Boot & Saddle, 1131 S. Broad St., 267-639-4528, bootandsaddlephilly.com.
