Last week, I was lucky enough to sit in with Rachel Hurley when she recorded her show The Warm Up at Ardent Studios with a band I’d never heard of before: Seryn.
After witnessing the massive amount of talent that they were able to cram into just a few songs in a stripped down set (which you can check out here), I knew I’d have to see them in full force. Using their show at Union University in Jackson this past week as an excuse to get out of town, I hauled ass to the chair nearest their production of sound, sat down, and got ready to have my ears elated with the always enjoyable sound of gorgeous compositions.
Opening act Sam Robertson set the mood. Her melodies reminded me of fireflies on a summer night. Although she stood alone on stage, the crowd was behind her emotionally charged performance. Subtle and sweet guitar work was an able host to her delicate vocal works. Running through a number of her own tracks and even showcasing an Ida Marie cover, her set was the perfect warm up to an evening of dense acoustic instrumentation.
Local act and hometown favorite TJ Hester took the stage next. Rocking a full band and and a half dozen tracks, his songs were always greeted with praise and the growing percussion of hands being slapped together to show apprecation. Running through a Smith’s track or two, Hester repeated Robertson’s bent on showing off their own taste, which ended up satiating the audience, setting them up perfectly for what was to come.
As Hester ended his set, Seryn graciously accepted the stage like a stranger coming in from the cold only to tell the most interesting of stories. Starting slowly, and patiently building the atmosphere, they were able to hook the crowd with a small taste, leaving them eagerly coming back for more like an Oliver Twist who actually gets what he requests. Playing through a handful of songs with over a dozen instruments (ukulele, accordion, guitar, vibraphone, drums, only to name a few), Seryn showed their musicianship as each member over the course of the evening picked up at least three different pieces of musical equipment.
Following in the footsteps of European post-rock acts like Efterklang and mum, crescendo seems to be the name of Seryn’s game. Songs were built like the Pyramids with subtle changes over a period of time, building and bubbling until a sudden culmination of sound and emotion where-in Seryn would explode like an atom bomb, except this was no test. Seryn blew up the stage, capturing the heart of every audience member to the involuntary compulsion of clapping at the conclusion of each and every song. Tracks “Our Love” and “River Song” stood out, swooping in to cradle the ear, slowly building until it becomes impossible to not be involved.
I’m not lying when I say that Seryn is probably my new favorite band, and I’m not wrong when I say that they’re a band to watch in the coming years as their rise to success is secured by their talent and heart. Garnering accolades at SXSW with Paste magazine and winning the hearts of fans all over the country, Seryn’s name is sure to be tossed around quite a bit in the near future.
Check out their video from The Warm Up as well as visit their website to pick up their LP This is Where We Are.
