Anybody who knows me knows that I am a rabid fan of MBAR, a.k.a. Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson. The Portland native, who came to national recognition by way of the New York City music scene and his associations with the NYC bands TV On The Radio & Grizzly Bear, has a distinct sound that is beyond description.
His live shows truly must be experienced to be believed. He’s a student of many different genres, which meld into a folk rockish type sound that is truly his own. A very storied and intense early adulthood drives his songs of lost love, addiction, and longing.
For this show he cruised into Johnny Brenda’s in the Philadelphia and proceeded to rip through songs from his most recent album , the self titled release Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, and played a couple covers as well, most noticeably a stripped down version of “Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay”.
His sound has actually changed a bit since last seeing him. In talking with MBAR after his set, he relayed that this last tour with TV On The Radio as well as his current tourmates The Catanets, has shown him to appreciate both the loud and soft parts of his music.
He appears to have taken this advice to heart and peppers his songs with well played outbursts of intensity, and doesn’t go too over the top as he may have previously. All in all, it was an amazing show and you must see this guy while you can still enjoy him in small venues like Johnny Brenda’s. A man with his talent will be going on to bigger and better things, it’s only a matter of time.
Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson: myspace | @ johnny brenda’s
