Reubens Accomplice, Crescent Ballroom, 8/10/12

By Jason P. Woodbury Sat., Aug. 11 2012 at 10:30 AM

Categories: Last Night

Abraham Karam

See more photos in our Jim Adkins/Roar/Reubens Accomplice slideshow.

Reubens Accomplice, Jim Adkins, Roar
Crescent Ballroom
Friday, August 10, 2012

It's not like Reubens Accomplice had completely vanished during the eight year stretch between their sprawling The Bull, The Balloon, and the Family in 2004 and the fresh-off-the-presses new record, Sons of Men, but last night couldn't help but feel like "a return" in the grandest sense.

If the term "return" doesn't work -- after all, the band only has a couple additional shows listed on its site -- then let's call it a celebration.

Following a surprise set by Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World (I missed completely on accident), and Roar (which features New Times contributer Chase Kamp), songwriters Chris Corak and Jeff Bufano took the stage, offering up a pensive, quiet start to what would ramp up to the equivalency of fireworks, even if it was only glowing white Christmas lights that decorated the stage.

Abraham Karam

Sam Means, performing with Reubens Accomplice. See more photos in the slideshow.

Drummer John O'Reilly and bassist Ryan Kennedy (sporting a price tag on his bass, perhaps so he could return it to the store later) stepped on stage, and then the guests: Sam Means (known for his band The Format and solo work), Jamal Ruhe (Sleepwalker, One), Patrick Carrie (Limbeck), and the elegant string quartet that sat on stage right.

The band balanced the new with the old, offering up moving selections from The Bull, The Balloon, and The Family, but focused mostly on the excellent new record.

It was a good choice: the songs, direct and punchy, are the kind of songs that you feel like you already know, and the crowd's swooning eyes and singing along speak to the strength of the new collection. It was most folks' first time hearing the songs, and they already loved them.