Real Estate In Concert

XPN

Published January 13, 2012 at 1:02 PM EST

1 of 6 — Our photographer took the fish-eye approach during this shot of Real Estate warming up before their show at World Cafe Live on Friday.

Our photographer took the fish-eye approach during this shot of Real Estate warming up before their show at World Cafe Live on Friday.

2 of 6 — The band moseyed through eight songs in less than 30 minutes.

The band moseyed through eight songs in less than 30 minutes.

3 of 6 — Singer Martin Courtney displays his monster stage presences during Real Estate's set at World Cafe Live.

Singer Martin Courtney displays his monster stage presences during Real Estate's set at World Cafe Live.

4 of 6 — Real Estate guitarist Matt Mondanile (right) also records as Ducktails.

Real Estate guitarist Matt Mondanile (right) also records as Ducktails.

5 of 6 — Martin Courtney (left) and bassist Alex Bleeker perform "It's Real."

Martin Courtney (left) and bassist Alex Bleeker perform "It's Real."

6 of 6 — Real Estate will be on the road around the east coast for the rest of January, then it's off to Europe for two weeks.

Real Estate will be on the road around the east coast for the rest of January, then it's off to Europe for two weeks.

Real Estate doesn't take long to set a tone of wistful, rose-colored nostalgia on Days, its second album of reverb-y beach-pop. Given that The Beach Boys made a virtually eternal career out of a similar formula — cheery romanticism that masks an undercurrent of alienated melancholy — it's easy to get behind the band's winsome charms, which are surprisingly well suited to the arrival of cool weather. The band's music may cry out to be heard through a beachside boom box on the New Jersey shore, but singer-guitarist Martin Courtney's words look back in bittersweet regret: "Our careless lifestyle / It was not so unwise," he sings in the chorus of "Green Aisles."

Real Estate performed songs from Days -- calling to mind bucolic settings and confused, hopeful youth — at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia on Friday. You can listen to the entire show right here.

Set List

Easy

Green Aisles

Municipality

Out of Tune

It's Real

Wonder Years

In My Car

Younger Than Yesterday