If you’ve never been to Conundrum Music Hall in West Columbia, you’re missing out on a tiny shack in a big grassy lot that’s full of great music. And that may not seem that great, but let me tell you why it is. It’s a hidden gem, secluded enough to scare away the late night Five Points crowd but not too distant to attract the committed music scene followers. It has a large outdoor space equipt with picnic benches, old film reels and a very out-of-tune piano. The indoor cinderblock of a space gives the feel of a miniature warehouse, still with a functioning bar and snack counter. The space holds at most 99 bodies, but usually receives about half that number, the perfect crowd to experience a show with. Not too much sweat and not too much awkward space. The perfect balance.
But this review isn’t about Conundrum. It’s actually about the opening act on last Saturday night’s show, progressive rock up-and-comers Corbett Alexander. The five-piece group formed last spring but really entered the scene near the middle of the summer, starting their debut EP and in the meanwhile tagging along the lineups of a handful of shows at New Brookland and Conundrum.
The crew consists of USC senior Grady Rogers on lead guitar, offering heavily intricate melodies that guide the voice of the band. Then, there’s lead vocalist and lyricist Austin Lewis, a USC alumnus who draws inspirations from acoustic groups like City and Colour but sounds more like a haunted, transcendental echo of a punk singer. Christian Sewesky, who seems to have a thing for playing barefoot, provides rhythm guitar, creating a fuller and richer sound that drives the emotion. Then the Halls, Preston and Micah (not related, believe it or not), take up drums and bass respectively, rhythmically guiding and adding a depth of interest to the mix.
The project coalesces into a sound that falls somewhere between Young the Giant (vocally) and Saosin (guitarily…that is a word, right?). Think toned down metalcore meets tripped out acid rock. The balance falls into the category of progressive rock with a few nuances thrown in here and there.
At Conundrum, crowd favorite of the night was pre-released “Lay Down Your Weapons,” which will be on the first disc, while “Appetite” introduced a more upbeat number with a lot of intricate instrumentals going on. With a little more vocal annunciation and a longer playlist, Corbett Alexander has potential in the Columbia and S.C. scene. After all, they are only four shows deep.
Corbett Alexander opened the night for DIY pop-punk Rule #9, alt-rock Apnea Effect and hip-hop-meets-rock Nepotism.
