After extensive touring across the US and Europe, This is Lorelei returned home last weekend for a performance at the Knockdown Center in Ridgewood. It was a homecoming show to close out the tour in support of last year’s Box for Buddy, Box for Star. Also on the bill: FearDorian, Dirt Buyer, and Greg Freeman.

This is Lorelei–the solo project of Nate Amos–is a prolific musician. Under the This is Lorelei moniker, he’s released hundreds of songs, spanning hyperpop, electronic, rock, and folksy acoustic. If that wasn’t enough, he’s also one half of the artsy, shapeshifting Water From Your Eyes, who have released six albums in seven years, with another out in August. It’s ironic that This Is Lorelei broke through with the deceptively straightforward Box for Buddy, Box for Star. Given his work in Water From Your Eyes–whose music is decidedly not straightforward–and his enormous catalog of songwriting experiments, it’s fair to expect Amos’s work to be slippery and sardonic.

Instead, Box for Buddy is deceptively straightforward. Its songwriting is direct and matter-of-fact without sacrificing any wit or charm. It’s homespun and clever, colored with the perfect set of bells and whistles, like the literal bells ringing on “Perfect Hand.” It’s no wonder MJ Lenderman covered the highlight “Dancing In The Club.” Both artists approach indie rock with a refreshed, relaxed lens, in total control as they spill their feelings over a cigarette and a beer.

It’s also no wonder This Is Lorelei packed the crowd at The Ruins, the Knockdown Center’s outdoor concert space. Accompanied by Al Nardo on bass and Bailey Wollowitz on drums (who have their own fantastic band, fantasy of a broken heart), This Is Lorelei ran through the majority of Box for Buddy, Box for Star. With just a power trio and backing tracks, the band boiled Box for Buddy down to its most essential parts. At times, the flourishes that dot the album were buried in the mix. The piano and strings that cushion the chorus on “Dancing In The Club” were sorely missed. Some of the vocals on album opener “Angel’s Eye” were too faint.

Still, the songs speak for themselves. The band’s no-frivolousness, along with Amos’s introverted presence on stage, put the focus solely on just how good these songs are on their own. Understated and humble, the Elliott Smith-esque “Two Legs” is perhaps the most romantic song of last year. Live, “I’m All Fucked Up” is just as silly as on record. Unsurprisingly, “Dancing In The Club” and “Where’s Your Love Now” drew the most enthusiasm from the crowd; both songs have the unmistakable longing and emotional oomph of classic guitar pop done right.

For me, the songs that thrived in the outdoor live environment were not from Box for Buddy, Box for Star. The chopped-up samples on “Mouth Men” were loud and forceful, with a heftier beat than anything from the album. I’m also partial to the show closer “Bring Back My Dog,” whose tinny synths and Garage Band banjo plucks are as endearing as anything off Box for Buddy. The crowd was certainly surprised by the shift in direction when Amos played a song from elsewhere in his catalog. If nothing else, he flexed the breadth of songwriting and production skills. But, that’s all This Is Lorelei needed to do. With Amos likely on Water From Your Eyes duty for the foreseeable future, his headlining night at the Knockdown Center was the perfect capstone to his biggest year yet.

Greg Freeman at Knockdown Center in Ridgewood, Queens with Photo by Andy Steiner

Order Box For Buddy, Box For Stars HERE HERE
Order Tickets for Water From Your Eyes HERE