Kevin Bronson on January 5th, 2019

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Sasami showcased tunes from her forthcoming debut album on Friday night in front of full house at the Echo — a crowd that devoured every emotive lyric and shape-shifting guitar tone in her 10-song set, even when they didn’t live up to the songwriter’s own standards.

“Stop clapping,” Sasami wisecracked at one point. “That was really out of tune. I give that a C-minus.”

Sasami — full name: Sasami Ashworth — is a former member of Cherry Glazerr, a composer/multi-instrumentalist and a longtime music teacher, so she knows something about grades. In October, she signed to Domino Records, which released the singles “Not the Time” and “Callous,” both of which she performed in the middle of her set Friday night.

At times reminiscent of the Breeders’ Kim Deal vocally and in comportment, Sasami fronted a three-piece that late in the set was joined by Hand Habits’ Meg Duffy. Songs such as “I Was a Window,” “Yr Heart” and the closer “Pacify” roiled with soft/loud guitars and lyrical candor. In between songs, she displayed a sense of humor. “What are you looking at?” she joked early in the set. “We’re just three women trying to get a job done.”

No details have been announced on the release of Sasami’s album.

Slut Island closed the night with a raucous set filled with dark humor and serious undertones. It included their cover of Papa Roach’s “Last Resort” and some antics from Kate Hollowell and Penelope Gazin, which included bounding around the stage doing push-ups and face slaps.

Rebecca Schiffman preceded the headliner.

Photos by Notes From Vivace