3.12 El Perro del Mar @ ExPlex
How lovely and rare. It’s not until you hear a talent like El Perro del Mar perform live that accolades like chanteuse and songbird are actually imbued with meaning. She made the cavernous (and super sexy) new ExPlex space under The Echo feel intimate and continental as she unleashed her beautiful, soulful voice on the room with about as much seeming effort as the rest of us were exerting while breathing. El Perro del Mar is actually lone (Swedish) singer/songwriter Sarah Assbring, who looked pretty and retro, in the loveliest, most Euro way, in a girlish dress and black leggings. During the show, she was backed by three well dressed lads in black suits and skinny ties, complete with white flowers in their button holes, on guitar bass and organ (and sweet backing harmonies on the gorgeous celebration “I Found a Reason.”) She can make mournful swing, and even render heartache as hopeful. But while the slightly mod arrangements were delicate and lovely, she was never more moving than when singing with just her guitar, as she tackled Gordon Lightfoot’s “I’m Not Sayin." Her version clearly paid homage to Nico, who previously covered the song. And yet, hers was rendered without any tragedy or weight, leaving just the purity and loveliness, which was apt, as that was the overwhelming mood of her entire set.
