Atlas Sound is the solo-project for Bradford Cox, the singer for critically acclaimed band Deerhunter. Along with actively engaging the indie scene through his blog, he has a reputation for being one of the most prolific songwriters in the genre. Needless to say, when a friend offered me a ticket to see him at the very unique venue of St. Cecilia’s Cathedral for the Kranky showcase , I had to take him up on the offer.

Upon entering the Cathedral, I realized that the performance would not to be a typical one. For one, St Cecilia’s is an enormous and ornate 1800′s Catholic Church. Lining the walls were paintings of the stations of the cross, and the only lit part if the church was the alter, drenched in an orange hue that made the rest of the church look purple. The crowd was sitting patiently in the pews, and throughout the show not one person stood up. It felt bizarrely like a a Catholic Mass, and the venue was probably the most interesting aspect of the show.

Unfortunately we arrived late for opener Lichens, a one man improvisational act by former 90 Day Man Robert Lowe. The obscure howl of his music bounced off the buttresses of the Church while he noodled with outboard gear and manipulated the sound of his voice. Up next was White Rainbow (a guy in front of a laptop) whose set felt a little lackluster and was not complemented by the church’s acoustics.  After about a half hour, Atlas Sound finally hit the alter.

Though many of his records feature percussion and other background accompaniment, Cox performed the entire set using only looped guitar lines, delayed feedback, and slow crooning over the instrumentation. Overall, the set was unfortunately hit or miss. The first few songs were plagued with technical difficulties, one of which resulted in thunderous feedback that rocked through the Church. As he eased into the middle of the set, though, he really began to gel, making it apparent why Atlas Sound’s music is so intriguing: Cox’s voice.

The acoustics of the Cathedral were most kind to Cox when his music was minimal.  When he sang over just an acoustic guitar with no effect, his style was really accentuated by the natural reverb of the Church. When his songs took a turn towards delayed out psychedelia, which most did, the acoustics of the church would make the sound more confusing and messy. Nonetheless the show was a success for everyone in the room. Sitting in the pew watching Atlas Sound sing to his congregation, though bizarre, was very fitting if only for a night.