The Light Upstairs: “Taxi”
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Musicians Emily Burns and Christian Glakas met when they both belonged to a local band, but after years of playing together the pair decided to strike out on their own. They formed the Light Upstairs in 2009 and opted to self-record their debut album, Disconnecting The Dots, playing all the instruments themselves.
Their next step came with this year’s The Hour of the Pearl. Recorded at Cacophony Recorders with Erik Wofford–who’s lent his production skills to the Black Angels and Explosions in the Sky–the record keeps the subdued charm of their debut while capturing it more faithfully. The duo’s rich harmonies are front-and-center, and this time around they receive some extra instrumental help.
Still, no note goes wasted. The attention is focused purely on the pair’s sublime songcraft, like on the beautiful “Taxi.” Over acoustic guitar and some simple percussion, Burns and Glakas describe how waiting for something is sometimes better than the thing itself.
But you won’t have to wait long to catch the Light Upstairs onstage. The group has been the Cactus Cafe‘s artist-in-residence for the month of October, and you have two more chances to see this promising Austin act: tonight and Monday, October 29. Both shows start at 8:30PM and are free and open to the public.
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