This Tuesday, a Geneseo-based band called New Socks, along with Circulatory System, played at the KnightSpot as a musical addition to Weeks of Welcome.
New Socks, which combines the efforts of senior Ben Morey, senior Becky Lovell and Geneseo alumna Molly Kerker, opened for the three main bands: Pipes You See Pipes You Don't, Nesey Gallons and Circulatory System.
"We designed the set tonight to start a little bit slow … then get a little happier," said Morey at the beginning of the set.
With lyrics like "Rising up the corners of my mouth to form a grin," New Socks provides folk roots accented by the juxtaposition of accordion and clarinet. The easy lyrics include a wide variety of subjects such as lessons that children learn, death and family trees.
New Socks played last year with fellow Elephant 6-related bands Apples in Stereo and Ladybug Transistor.
"We like to have them [Elephant 6 bands] come over as much as possible," said Morey, noting that the band would be playing with A Very Valiant Duo at Muddy Waters Café on Sept. 25.
Pipes You See Pipes You Don't is the side project of Peter Erchick of Circulatory System and The Olivia Tremor Control. The band has a heavily alternative '90s style with a much crisper sound than Circulatory System.
Nesey Gallons, guitarist for Circulatory System and The Music Tapes, also debuted his solo album Eyes & Eyes & Eyes Ago recently. Gallons' songs are mellower, touching and more retro than those of Circulatory System and Pipes You See Pipes You Don't.
Though he may have seemed nervous about being on his own, with shaky vocals and timid quips to the audience, Gallons had a strong presence that best resembles Jeff Magnum's eerie and persistent voice in Neutral Milk Hotel.
Circulatory System, lead by William Hart, played songs from their self-titled album as well as their newest album, Signal Morning. Not easily fitting all the members on stage, the band began to play psychedelic instrumentals slowly rising into their songs. Circulatory System, atypical of many psychedelic bands, utilized instruments like the clarinet and cello on top of warping guitars and synthesizers.
Circulatory System's proposed final song off Signal Morning, entitled "This Morning (We Remember Everything)" was threaded into a longer song in which everything was deconstructed and brought back to life again.
In the song "This Morning," Hart sings, "There's a world somewhere that's a little bit different." It just could be that the world of Athens, Ga., the place that the Elephant 6 collective calls home, is one that you should visit.