Death From Above 1979 sound like a completely different band when they perform acoustic

by Mark Teo

When Death From Above 1979 returned last year with the long-awaited The Physical World, we were amazed by two things: First, after nearly a decade between albums, Sebastien Grainger and Jesse Keeler still sounded vital; their sophomore LP was the logical continuation of You’re A Woman, I’m A Machine. Secondly, The Physical World was no carbon copy of DFA179’s sonic blueprint—it was louder, noisier, and messier than its predecessor, and when it locked into a stoner-rock groove, it was a reminder that Grainger and Keeler were at the top of their game.

So, yes: The Physical World was an disarmingly excellent record, and the longer we spend with the LP, the more we learn about it. Still, its songs never sounded tender—that is, until we’d heard them played acoustic. With Grainger performing on guitar and Keeler playing a mandolin, DFA1979 performed a mini-set for the Strombo Sessions recorded at George Stroumboulopoulos’ house, unveiling the bluesy, soulful core of their songs. And we’ll be honest: They sound like a completely different band.

Take, for example, “Trainwreck 1979.” Stripped of its hard-charging, angular bassline, it’s a howling folk song, complete with ghostly backups via Keeler.

Elsewhere, Grainger’s earnest delivery on “White Is Red” are a revelation: The track hearkens back to the emo of mid-aughts. Strombo, who’s seated beside the band as they play, would surely approve.

Meanwhile, “Virgins,” one of the The Physical World’s harder-hitting tracks, is re-envisioned as a coffee-shop ready folk track.

Listen to the full episode below.