Review: Electric Guest keeps it moving

Electric Guest kept their show at Paradise this past Sunday short and sweet, but more importantly, they kept it moving.

The Los Angeles band played the entirety of their debut album Mondo, which was released earlier this year.

“We only have ten songs, and we just played nine of them,” joked frontman Asa Taccone before playing the show’s encore.Taccone, whose light jazzy vocals and twist-like dance moves kept the show lively, is also known as the younger brother of Jorma Taccone, member of Saturday Night Live digital short band The Lonely Island. Along with Jorma, Andy Samberg, Justin Timberlake and others, Asa helped produce the hilarious “Dick in a Box” song, which received an Emmy in 2007.

Along with Taccone’s onstage talents, percussionist Matthew “Cornbread” Compton, keyboardist Todd Dahloff and his brother, guitarist Tory Dahloff strengthened the show. The latter two are members only in the touring band, while Compton and Taccone comprise Electric Guest for recording.

The foursome was avid in injecting an energetic element into their short set. Songs ranged in rhythm and pace, but each maintained a Motown-style level of mellow jazz, with synth pop and shoeshine thrown into the mix.

The show’s peak was when they played “This Head I Hold,” a piano and percussion-driven song with a smooth breakdown and infectiously catchy chorus. The track felt fresh off a ‘60s jukebox, with a taste of modernity.

A surprising live favorite was “Holes,” the album’s first track. The keyboard intro was nearly dub-step with choppy rhythm, but was softened by slow, R&B-like vocals.

Though Electric Guest only had 10 songs to offer, and their openers Line & Circle, who were fresh off of a performance at the CMJ Music Marathon in New York City, only had a handful to perform as well, the show was energetic and symbolic of the duo’s future in music.