Bohemian Groove From Washington Squares

Holy anachronisms, Batman! Phrases like “the upper class oppressing the lower classes” and “with Bush in the White House, we need all the beats we can get” (preceding a folk eulogy for Neal Cassady) actually came up over the course of the Washington Squares’ first set Saturday at the Palace Court, no sniggers attached.

Since the Squares first showed on the NYC acoustic circuit a few years back, folk truebloods have debated whether these two guys and a gal are serious about their new bohemianism, and if so, whether maybe they shouldn’t be. How, it’s asked, can the same amplified-acoustic trio that sings a way-cool pop version of Leonard Cohen’s riotously cynical “Everybody Knows” also croon apparently guileless original lyrics like “Love and understanding covered with dust / It’s time for direction, caring and trust / Be on the lookout for a new generation”?

But while ‘80s fatalism and ‘60s idealism may be strange bedfellows to consummate in the Squares’ bedframe of reference, should their ingenuous light-shining seem any harder to swallow than “Talkin’ ‘Bout a Revolution”?

On Saturday, the folk-raucous Squares--and a loud drummer--stretched the jazz-oriented Palace Court’s sound system well beyond its apparent capacity. Which somehow added to the charm. They have a major Peter, Paul & Mary complex, and harmonies to make it work, but imagine PP&M; cranked up to 11, rocking out on “Greenback Dollar” with an extended guitar solo. Dig .