The February 13 show at Respectable Street Café features two of the finest local acts to break out of Broward and Palm Beach counties: John Ralston and the Postmarks. Of the two, the Postmarks are perhaps the better known, garnering a degree of international critical acclaim by largely refusing to play small local shows, and instead focus on promoting their polished recordings. The group's wistful, twee pop style sounds like it came from anywhere but here, and the threesome has further burnished its reputation with its latest disc, By the Numbers.
A collected series of singles that were released online last year, the all-covers album features sunny, thoughtful takes on songs by everyone from Antonio Carlos Jobim to the Jesus and Mary Chain. Also to note: The Postmarks were set to play a major stage at Langerado. Now that that festival has been cancelled, this may be one of the few opportunities in the near future to catch the group on its home (-ish) turf.
John Ralston, meanwhile, hails from Lake Worth, and got his start playing around town in the seemingly forever-on-hiatus quartet Legends of Rodeo. As that band became inactive, Ralston began to write and record his own solo material, thoughtful pop creations with more than a little hint of Brian Wilson. His last record, Sorry Vampire, was released on Vagrant Records in late 2007. On it, Ralston's backed by a full band, and warm aural pillows of intricate textures -- some songs feature up to 100 tracks. Seeing him live, then, uncovers a different interpretation of the tunes every time.
The Postmarks and John Ralston. With Brookville. Friday, February 13. Respectable Street Café, 518 Clematis St., West Palm Beach. Show starts at 8 p.m.Tickets cost $8 in advance, $10 at the door. Ages 18+ with ID. 561-823-9999; www.respectablestreet.com
