Previewing Yardfest's Guests

Armed with only a copy of those “Yardfest 2009” CDs they've been handing out in front of the Science Center this week, I've been charged with giving you all the lowdown on the music of both our guests, electronic duo Ratatat and pop-rock singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles, before Sunday's performance in Tercentenary Theater.

The CD opens with Ratatat’s “Wildcat," a sleek and sexy track whose almost predatory feel is only reinforced by the recurring cougar-scream that haunts the piece. Following this prelude is “Seventeen Years,” a sort of Ratatat anthem if you will: with its rhythmic march and searing synth overlay, it conjures images of an army’s worth of cigarette-jean clad hipsters readying for battle.

Two more electronic fantasias, “Lex” and “Cherry,” complete this theme before the scene explodes and the part of Yardfest you and your wastey-faced blockmates have been waiting for arrives: “Diamonds” and “Party and Bullshit” represent the other half of Ratatat’s talent, namely, the remixing of ass-to-crotch grinding (his/her crotch grinding on your ass, that is to say) hiphop tracks.

Yet as Ms. Bareilles swoops in with “Love Song,” her cotton-candy pop radio gem, it becomes apparent that Bareilles’ music is nothing to dance to. Seriously, listen to the five-track set, which represents some of Bareilles’ most popular work. Lots of emotion and love (what? I hate emotion…) might leave you burning off the drunk you’ve built up all afternoon.

All this said, Yardfest 2009 will certainly be an entertaining spectacle. But with some healthy doses of pre-gaming, Monday morning (yes, yes, it's on Sunday) promises to be more so.

Photo by Amw9991/Wikimedia Commons