It takes broadsiding to get us to buy a CD these days, and that's exactly what Bart Davenport delivered at his recent Record Bar show supporting the Botticellis. With an aloof grin and the chops of a musician's musician, Davenport charmed the small but appreciative crowd with a flawless set of West Coast pop. No recording could do justice to the experience of seeing Davenport tear it up live, but Palaces cultivates its own personality with chiming glockenspiels, reverb-tank vocals and an affability reminiscent of Jonathan Richman. It's a record that could (and maybe should) have been made in the '70s, one that emphasizes clean arrangements and sentimental lyrics. It slows a bit during the second half when it shifts into folkie mode, but guys as talented as Davenport are allowed to mellow out every now and again. (He's also the brains behind Honeycut, the Loved Ones, and the Kinetics). If Fleet Foxes can connect with a mass audience, maybe it's only a matter of time before Bart Davenport has his day in the sun, too.
