Friday night, Austin singer Dana Falconberry celebrated the release of her sophomore album, Halletts, with a wildly enjoyable set of folk inspired acoustic tunes inside Austin’s Mohawk. Falconberry’s performance was preceded by fellow Austin artists Seth Sherman and Sunset.

MeVersus arrived in time to catch the bulk of an energetic opening set by indie pop quartet Sunset. The group’s sound, a tight blend of ’60s pop and syncopated grooves, was effective in this live setting, largely thanks to John Kolor’s excellent drumming. Kolor’s loose, freewheeling performance propelled the band through a set of punchy, electric piano driven tunes.

After Sunset’s percussion fueled romp had concluded, the decidedly drummerless Falconberry took the stage, joined by an upright bassist and a pair of female companions, who would harmonize with the singer throughout the night and add occasional banjo and light percussion. Falconberry, whose sweet, smoky voice is sometimes reminiscent of Joanna Newsom, writes simple yet evocative songs well rooted in the folk tradition, singing earnestly about such personal concerns as loneliness, self doubt, and a connection to nature. While this may seem like well-worn territory, her music never felt generic or derivative, especially in the live setting, where the singer’s kind spirit and humble grace left no doubt about her intention or sincerity. Dana’s simple, subtlety-varied song arrangements succeeded in bringing out the emotional beauty of the her songs, and the three part female vocal harmonies sounded wonderful.

Like fellow Austinites Some Say Leland, Dana Falconberry is a fitting ambassador for a thriving local underground acoustic music scene with strong ties to the annual Kerrville Folk Festival. Halletts (which was recorded by Some Say Leland member Stephen Orsak) features the same lineup of musicians as last night’s show and does a very good job of capturing the group in their element. We recommend giving it a listen, and if Dana comes to your area, by all means check her out.

—Bugsymoogs

Thanks Bugsymoogs for the great review. MeVersus readers rejoice, for we have found a great set of ears to add to the collective. We look forward to reading your thoughts on the upcoming 2010 music season.