A few of us from the OVRLD crew checked out My Education at the Mohawk on Sunday night. I for one was not fully prepared for the experience. With mesmerizing soundscapes followed by distorted crescendos, these post-rock instrumentalists definitely know how to take you for a sonic ride.
My Education has been compared to Explosions in the Sky and Balmorhea, their fellow Austin post-rockers, but My Education’s sound is definitely distinct. This distinction partially comes from their unique instrumental lineup. My Education currently consists of six members: two guitarists, a keyboardist, a bassist, a violist and a drummer. With so many instrumentalists and so many instruments, the whole band couldn’t actually fit on the small indoor stage. A couple of the band members were set-up at crowd level. This made for a fascinating performance which challenged you to keep up with all the moving parts.
Throughout their set, I was captivated by the rich melodies of the viola and the delicate tones of the keyboard. These gave each 8-minute-plus song an ethereal feel which would then be taken over by triumphant drum breaks and waves of distorted guitars. The grand visuals that were projected on stage compounded the mesmerizing experience and drew me in even further. At the end of the set, I was left thinking–where did all of the time go?
My Education just released a collaborative and improvisational album with Theta Naught, a collection of musicians from Salt Lake City. On this album, you’re going to hear My Education’s distinct viola and cello instrumentation mixed with Theta Naught’s musical saw, lap steel and theremin melodies. Give the song below a listen to get a taste of the album or check out My Education’s Bandcamp for some more free tunes.
-Dan
-Dan