King Hannah played Crystal Ballroom – 5/2

UK duo King Hannah made their greater Boston debut at Somerville’s Crystal Ballroom with support from locals Izzy Heltai and Hawthorn.

You can throw a ton of music writer shorthand at the wall to cover what King Hannah sound like; there are for sure elements of post-rock, post-punk, slowcore and the Mazzy Star-ish corner of dream pop in their sound. Ultimately though, I think the band is best sold simply as masters of the slow-burn.

The duo of singer/guitarist Hannah Merrick and lead axeman Craig Whittle (rounded out to a four-piece with a drummer and bassist on tour) craft tense songs that draw you into their mysterious center of gravity and never let go. That the band’s Springsteen cover of choice is a version of “State Trooper” that somehow sounds more haunted than the Nebraska original tells you pretty much everything you need to know.

On stage at the Ballroom earlier this month, Merrick conducted the set with a reserved but unwavering intensity, spinning literary tales with the backing of Whittle’s lyrical, inventive playing and a rhythm section that expertly handled the subtleties. The crowd was less voluminous than it ought to have been, but those who made the trek on a Monday hung on every word.

The night kicked off with the sweet and soothing folksongs of Hawthorn and a more revved up country-rock set from Izzy Heltai. Check out photos of the evening below.