Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci / Mercury Lounge / November 6, 1999

Never hemmed in by conventional ‘90s indie rock boundaries, versatile Welch band Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci was in the Big Apple to promote Spanish Dance Troupe, their breakthrough American release. While fellow compatriots from Wales, the Super Furry Animals, clashed loud, fuzzy, sonic feedback with high voltage rock playing the more spacious Bowery Ballroom a few months back, Gorky’s sound usually drifts through soft acoustical retreats with melancholic folk melodies. They remain a diamond in the rough gigging at the much smaller, more intimate Mercury Lounge.

With brown curly hair that covered his eyes when he leaned into the mike, youthful lead singer Euros Childs manipulated the keyboard while sister Megan glided her down home fiddle into traditional country and Classical folk territory. A brilliant, still maturing songwriter/ arranger, Euros slyly managed to skirt easy comparisons to soft-focus psychedelia, paisley glam-rock, and subtly shaded Velvet Underground sub-pop. Though at times he sang in a carefree, romantic style reminiscent of Bryan Ferry circa Roxy Music’s For The Country or yelped in an anxious, epileptic tone reminiscent of David Byrne’s earliest Talking Heads daze, Euros terse, witty originals gained a hazy dramatic tension all their own.

Early on, Euros’ insouciance pervaded this nights’ most rockin’ tune, “Poodle Rockin’,” a goofy dance party ditty that would have fit in nicely on Talking Heads ‘77. His whimsical mannerisms, witty verses, and sadly romantic understatements were second only to his sharp musical instinct. Though the humble band never engaged the audience with comforting between song remarks, asides, or rambling banter to break up the delicate tension, they handled themselves (and sundry instruments) professionally.

Surprisingly, they never appeared for an encore, even though the crowd clapped in unison and the soundman waited a few minutes before turning on the house lights and cranking up pre-recorded music. Nevertheless, between Euros’ compelling songs and his bands’ austere ability to interpret them well, the work they put into six underrated albums may finally be paying off.