Staff Editor on October 20th, 2021

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Gypsum — the trio of Anna Arboles, Sapphire Jewell and Jessy Reed — celebrated the release of their intricately creative self-titled album “Gypsum,” performing the album from beginning to end at Zebulon last week to a mesmerized audience.

One source of intrigue with Gypsum is listening to the vocal transitions between Arboles and Jewell. All in one song, you might have a section where the vocals have a sense of deep longing before heading toward confrontation and then shifting immediately to passionate beat poetry. The second is the music, which can start with an introduction that could provide the soundtrack to the opening credits of a TV crime series and then the band tosses that aside for a feel of running through a field of daisies, but they aren’t done with the twist and turns as they transition the song to close out into a clash of drums. Wondering where the band will decide to take their music is what makes them one of the more fascinating bands playing the Los Angeles music landscape.

Their song “Lungs,” which starts with quiet vocals that shift to soaring choral chants, drew loud cheers from the crowd. Also getting cheers was the song “Give It” that has the band stretching music theory to the limits. “Snow White” has guitar beats that give the song a haunting feel, while “Kaleidoscope” has a dreamier sound. Put it all together and the band gave a memorable album celebration.

In the crowd were members from bands such as Goon, Gracie Gray, Illuminati Hotties, Mini Trees and Ramonda Hammer.

Opening up for the night were Julie and Potty Mouth — and, as Arboles mentioned, both brought the shredding. Julie’s heavy rock sound was only temporarily quieted due to a technical malfunction that slowed them down to the tapping of the drum kit. The way Potty Mouth’s bassist Ally Einbinder plays the bass during their song “Smash Hit” with a downstroke and then an arch up that levitates for a beat before repeating the process is hypnotic. The band premiered two new songs, “I’m Not Going Anywhere” and “Contessa Barefoot,” which perhaps indicates a turn towards a more aggressive punk sound as we head towards 2022.

Gypsum’s setlist: Follow Me, Lungs, Gull Lake, Give It, Snow White, Grafting, Kaleidoscope, Satisfied, Margaret, Disappear

Photos and recap by Notes From Vivace