“Make up your own words to this song, and if they’re any good, please send them to us,” frontwoman told the on Friday before launching into a new track that had her humming in place of the lyrics. The ’90s icon and her band the Breeders played a set focused on an even helping of music from their two major albums, “Pod” (1990), and “Last Splash” (1993), along with a healthy dose of new music — some of it so new that it hasn’t been written yet. Deal, bassist for The Pixies before starting The Breeders with her identical twin sister Kelley, has the kind of indie rock street cred and effortless cool that makes even her humming interesting.
The Breeders set opened with a slow, loose version of “Off You” featured in the Spike Jonze film “Her” that failed to recreate the atmospheric moodiness of the recording. The band seemed to wake up and come together during the next few songs, especially with the catchy guitar hooks of “Limehouse.”
Kim, who plays rhythm guitar for the Breeders and her sister, lead guitarist Kelley, seemed relaxed and interactive with the crowd in the smallish room at The Summit.
Deal’s songwriting is interesting, but not at all straightforward in terms of structure, and some of the new, slow tunes failed to connect with the patient, encouraging audience. Some of the new music did work well, though, especially the lyrically charming “Launched.” But when the band fired up classic “Last Splash” tunes like the hit single “Cannonball” and the sweet pop of “Divine Hammer,” the crowd responded in kind.
Kim shares vocal duties with Kelley, whose childish vocal quality is an interesting counterpoint to the beautiful, breathy singing of her sister. Kelley’s vocals were showcased during the one cover of the night, a wonderfully weird rendition of The Beatles “Happiness is a Warm Gun.”
Ultimately, though the Deal sisters still have the ’90s indie rock cool that they’ve always had, Friday nightap The Breeders show was interesting, contemplative, provocative, but not always compelling.
Set List
Off You
Saints
Hag
Skinhead #2
Lime house
Simone
Doe
Hellbound
Walking With a Killer
Fortunately Gone
Happiness is a Warm Gun
Launched
New Year
Cannonball
All Nerve
No Aloha
Divine Hammer
Glorious
Safari
Iris
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Amy McGrath is a Denver-based writer and regular contributor to Reverb.
Michael McGrath is a Denver area photographer. His work is available at . Visit .
