St. Vincent leaps ahead before tour with Black Keys

By David Bauder

Associated Press

NEW YORK

After watching a video of St. Vincent’s performance at a British rock festival this summer, an anonymous music fan posted a succinct review.

“It’s bonkers,” the viewer wrote. “But fascinating, original and strangely addictive.”

St. Vincent, the stage name for singer-songwriter Annie Clark, continues a big year with a full autumn of touring, including a plum slot opening for the Black Keys. Her fourth album, “St. Vincent,” had her highest Billboard chart debut (No. 12), she played on the season finale of “Saturday Night Live” and filled in for Kurt Cobain at Nirvana’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. She’s turning heads — not just her own — at concerts.

Clark complements her guitar playing with simple yet odd stage choreography, often in unison with keyboard player Toko Yasuda: head swivels, leverlike arm movements and skittering, birdlike movements across the stage in high heels.

The sense of whimsy most obviously recalls David Byrne. Clark has recorded and toured with the former Talking Heads frontman, and both work with choreographer Annie-B Parson. People who first saw St. Vincent perform on “SNL” were intrigued or bewildered. A small number hated it, Clark said.

“I like a little bit of mischief,” she said.

St. Vincent began a 14-date U.S. tour earlier this month that comes to Cleveland’s House of Blues Tuesday. She then heads overseas for a punishing 33-date schedule that ends in Lisbon before coming back to the United States to open arena gigs for the Black Keys in December. The big mystery is how fans of the two-piece blues rockers will respond to Clark’s act when the two join forces.

“Devo is one of my favorite bands, and there are things about her show that remind (me) of them in the best possible way,” said Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney. “I am sure the crowds are going to be very into her show. I know when she played ‘SNL’ some people didn’t get it. But when Devo played in 1978 I am sure there were plenty of people totally baffled as well.”

The guitar is what connects the two acts, and Clark said she’ll emphasize it. She can shred, too. “Anyone who has the slightest appreciation for the electric guitar should be able to get into her music,” Carney said.

Clark, 31, played in the choral group Polyphonic Spree and with Surfjan Stevens before striking out on her own.