John Lindenbaum, singer-guitarist of Fort Collins’ brooding Americana trio Nadalands, fretted briefly before his band’s Sunday afternoon UMS set: should he change the lyrics to some of his songs, given that Nadalands was playing in the South Broadway Christian Church?
The quick (and correct) answer was no. Nadalands’ wrenching, wry lyrics are as much the star of the show as Lindenbaum’s deep, malleable voice, and something would have been lost had he neutered them out of an abundance of respect for the venue. If anything, lines like, “Don’t be afraid, ’cause we’re all gonna fuckin’ die someday” felt oddly appropriate sung against a massive pipe organ.
The rich, natural acoustics and spirited bass (by Matt Schild) and drums (Benjamin Buttice) combined for a slow-burn intensity that did justice to lyrics like “You have the voice of an angel and the grace of a predator drone.”
Sacred, indeed.
