SLCene Suggests: Murder By Death at Bar Deluxe

MURDER BY DEATH, BAR DELUXE, Thursday, Sept. 12, 8 p.m., $18

Murder by Death was already a damn fine rock band with a more sprawling sound than one might expect before they added multi-instrumentalist Scott Brackett, formerly of Okkervil River and Shearwater, while creating the songs that fill their excellent latest album, Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon. Lead singer/guitarist Adam Turla gives the band a memorable sound through his baritone and distinct tales of small-town life. Throw in Sarah Balliet’s dramatic cello flourishes, and now Brackett’s various skills–piano, trumpet and accordion, among others–and you now have a band hitting its creative stride in powerful ways. I’ve seen the band before Brackett joined the fray, and they were great. I can only imagine the new blood will only make them a more potent live band. Larry & His Flask open the show.