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St. Vincent’s Tunes ‘Marry’ Beauty and Happiness

Just one day after Marry Me hit store shelves, the demure, orchestral pop starlet St. Vincent played a stunning set to an intimate crowd of A-town’s music connoisseurs. St. Vincent, the stage name for vocalist Annie Clark, made the red walls and corner stage of the Earl’s backroom the most beautiful place to be in Hotlanta last night (July 11), creating almost more music — and excitement for the new album — than the venue could hold.

“It’s remarkable that anyone’s hearing it at all,” a very happy Clark told SPIN.com. “I’ve been writing since I was about five years old, and playing since I was about five years old. It was just something I wanted to do.”

The pixie-like Clark performed a lovely array of songs, including the much acclaimed title track, “Marry Me,” and “Landmines,” all with a wisdom and voice beyond her years. She drifted effortlessly from furious guitar riffs to impassioned piano and humorous stage banter. Along with her white t-shirt and red pant-clad band, which included Bill Flynn (bass), Daniel Heart (violin) and Walker Adams (drums), St. Vincent sauntered through an hour-plus set with the bombast and panache of larger groups like The Polyphonic Spree or the touring ensemble of Sufjan Stevens — both acts Clark has previously lent her talents to.

“There are like ten less heartbeats on stage,” Clark added, comparing the experience of touring with the Spree with touring for her solo debut, “but the other four are loud enough to compensate.” Amen.

We asked: St. Vincent was the patron saint of Charity. Assuming it would ever be allowed, what would you be a patron saint for?