THE EDITORS/Fujiya & Miyagi/The Strange Death Of Liberal England
Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, 29.03.10.
The nature of Liverpool's Philharmonic hall meant that for fans this gig was always going to be a little different. Much more accustomed to the conductor than the front-man, this all-seater venue made up in acoustic capacity what it lacked in audience participation.
As far as diversity of style is concerned, special guests The Strange Death Of Liberal England take some beating. Drawing on influences ranging from folk pop to indie-rock, they offer epic, drawn-out affairs. They're often delightfully nuanced as well, suggesting that repeated listens would not be wasted. With fresh ideas and haunting melodies, they fill the listener with intrigue and implore them to delve further.
By contrast, the forward-thinking Fujiya & Miyagi bombard the audience with highly rhythmic, almost hypnotic tunes. Having formed in 2000, the four-piece have taken time to find their feet, yet this may have been to their benefit. They deliver an astonishingly crisp, clean sound highly accomplished in its assault on the audience. 'Ankle Injuries' in particular seemed almost beguiling in its directness, only compounded by ending as it did with the relentless terrace-like chanting of the band's name.
With the audience eager and in their seats, The Editors duly entered the stage. With the third album's style having taken the band down a new path, they may well have been hoping to shake off any lazy comparisons with the likes of Interpol and Joy Division, always refuted by the group themselves. Whilst the distinctive dark sound of the first two albums gave the group a strong identity and two very coherent records, it may have prevented the songwriting from maturing fully. Not that the charts agree, as all three records have been resounding successes. It does seem though that the boys from Stafford have unshackled themselves somewhat since 'The End Has A Start'. Moreover, whilst retaining the brooding quality evident on the likes of 'All Sparks', the third album is equally accessible, infinitely more interesting and may well appeal to a different breed of music fan.
Indeed, Tom Smith himself appeared visibly more animated when performing new singles 'Papillon' and 'Eat Raw Meat= Blood Drool'. Making greater use of Chris Urbanowicz's synthesizer, comparisons to the likes of Portishead or Depeche Mode would now be more accurate. It all went down rather well too and despite the restrictions that rows of seats bring, the crowd were soon on their feet and and this was by no means a sedate affair. Despite being three albums down the line, on the evidence of tonight The Editors are no spent force. Although they are yet to produce a real masterpiece, if they can continue to apply themselves so ably to new creative horizons then they will only get better and better.
Pete Robinson.
Saturday, 3 April 2010
The Lambrettas + The Grand Old Dukes review
28th March, Moho Live, Manchester
The Lambrettas
The Grand Old Dukes
Stepping into Manchester's Moho Live to the sight of shaven heads, checked shirts and braces, it was apparent that nostalgia was high the agenda for many of the punters. Seemingly unaffected by line-up changes, The Lambrettas were far more than competent in their reproduction of choice cuts from their own back catalogue.
Crowd favourites such as Ford Cortina MkII, Da-a-a-ance and their version of Poison Ivy in particular made for a loyal following going home very happy. Having seemingly lost none of the energy that sparked their mod-revival success back in the '80s, the four-piece rocketed through the set with the sort of verve which denotes a lasting belief in the movement.
Whilst often over-looked as being too derivative and always, to an extent, living in the shadow of The Jam, the band reminded us that they have both the songs and the live shows to stand up to scrutiny. Even without songwriter Jez Bird, who sadly passed away in 2008, The Labrettas were able to recreate an atmosphere it was hard not to get caught up in. Originating in Brighton, their strongest suit is perhaps their ability to pen pop gems such as the aforementioned Ford Cortina which if anything transcend the genre. To a certain extent, their devotion to all things mod has held them back, pushing them on occasion towards cliché. Without ever having the pioneering zeal of some of their contemporaries, they are in danger of being remembered as nothing more than 'also-rans', which would be a shame.
As passionate and committed as the new look Lambrettas were, in all honesty it was support act The Grand Old Dukes who stole the show. Clearly playing to a Sunday night audience eagerly anticipating the headliners, the Manchester band wasted no time in garnering attention. Frontman Steve Noire immediately catches the eye with a narrative vocal-style reminiscent of Bad Seeds era Nick Cave.
With tracks such as the outstanding Let It Out, they have an awful lot to offer. From the blues-infused Blackspot to the highly contagious Running Out My Mind this is a band with ideas aplenty. Driven by the expansive grooves of guitarist Lez Paul Dennis and within the constraints of a half-hour set the group shifted through the gears effortlessly. Yet inspiration is hard to pinpoint.
Whilst the songcraft isn't so far removed from the mainstream as to make them inaccessible, this is a group who know what they're trying to do and indie by numbers it is not. With a nod to '60s west coast vocal harmonies and an inclination towards the cohesive powers of the trumpet and the harmonica, they're a difficult one to quantify.
Clearly not struggling to find their own identity they are musically assured in whichever direction they turn. Moreover, the sheer infectiousness of offerings such as Get Your Own Back provide a point of entry, demonstrating a delicate balance between minimalist structure and layered instrumentalism. There is also invention in abundance; showing dynamism without ever seeming indulgent. An exciting discovery.
Pete Robinson.
For more on The Lambrettas:
www.thelambrettas.co.uk
For more on The Grand Old Dukes:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Ambush/94937910421#!/group.php?gid=52582856544&ref=ts
The Lambrettas
The Grand Old Dukes
Stepping into Manchester's Moho Live to the sight of shaven heads, checked shirts and braces, it was apparent that nostalgia was high the agenda for many of the punters. Seemingly unaffected by line-up changes, The Lambrettas were far more than competent in their reproduction of choice cuts from their own back catalogue.
Crowd favourites such as Ford Cortina MkII, Da-a-a-ance and their version of Poison Ivy in particular made for a loyal following going home very happy. Having seemingly lost none of the energy that sparked their mod-revival success back in the '80s, the four-piece rocketed through the set with the sort of verve which denotes a lasting belief in the movement.
Whilst often over-looked as being too derivative and always, to an extent, living in the shadow of The Jam, the band reminded us that they have both the songs and the live shows to stand up to scrutiny. Even without songwriter Jez Bird, who sadly passed away in 2008, The Labrettas were able to recreate an atmosphere it was hard not to get caught up in. Originating in Brighton, their strongest suit is perhaps their ability to pen pop gems such as the aforementioned Ford Cortina which if anything transcend the genre. To a certain extent, their devotion to all things mod has held them back, pushing them on occasion towards cliché. Without ever having the pioneering zeal of some of their contemporaries, they are in danger of being remembered as nothing more than 'also-rans', which would be a shame.
As passionate and committed as the new look Lambrettas were, in all honesty it was support act The Grand Old Dukes who stole the show. Clearly playing to a Sunday night audience eagerly anticipating the headliners, the Manchester band wasted no time in garnering attention. Frontman Steve Noire immediately catches the eye with a narrative vocal-style reminiscent of Bad Seeds era Nick Cave.
With tracks such as the outstanding Let It Out, they have an awful lot to offer. From the blues-infused Blackspot to the highly contagious Running Out My Mind this is a band with ideas aplenty. Driven by the expansive grooves of guitarist Lez Paul Dennis and within the constraints of a half-hour set the group shifted through the gears effortlessly. Yet inspiration is hard to pinpoint.
Whilst the songcraft isn't so far removed from the mainstream as to make them inaccessible, this is a group who know what they're trying to do and indie by numbers it is not. With a nod to '60s west coast vocal harmonies and an inclination towards the cohesive powers of the trumpet and the harmonica, they're a difficult one to quantify.
Clearly not struggling to find their own identity they are musically assured in whichever direction they turn. Moreover, the sheer infectiousness of offerings such as Get Your Own Back provide a point of entry, demonstrating a delicate balance between minimalist structure and layered instrumentalism. There is also invention in abundance; showing dynamism without ever seeming indulgent. An exciting discovery.
Pete Robinson.
For more on The Lambrettas:
www.thelambrettas.co.uk
For more on The Grand Old Dukes:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Ambush/94937910421#!/group.php?gid=52582856544&ref=ts
Friday, 2 April 2010
New Young Pony Club review
New Young Pony Club, live at Korova, Liverpool, Friday 26th March.
When a pop group's rise to stardom is heavily enhanced by the use of one of their songs in a TV commercial, it can be a mixed blessing. As one such band, New Young Pony Club will be hoping the release of their second album, The Optimist, can shake off any 'one hit wonder' tags and help the foursome build on their earlier success.
Following the release of Ice Cream back in 2005 (and subsequent re-releases), NYPC found themselves in popular demand. With an album in the charts, extensive was touring to follow. Returning with a second album the band have made an effort to reinvent themselves by adding an extra dimension to their punk-infused dance pop. Now with the experience to match the on-stage flamboyance of lead-singer Tahita Bulmer, the new album is something of a darker affair.
Entering the stage with the crowd in good spirits (after being thoroughly woken up by special guests Teeth) the band opened with new single Chaos. Still upbeat but slightly edgier than anything from the first offering, there seemed to be a conscious decision to showcase a new sound. Whilst there is undoubtedly a freshness to the new stuff, the energy associated with the group remains and this is my no means a sea change. The decision to bring an element of the noire, however slight, into what is essentially a dance pop act is always a risk and NYPC are, in reality, at their best when they stick to what they know.
With a set-list comprising of a fairly even mix of new material and favourites from 2007's Fantastic Playroom, the band sounded sharp and moved seamlessly through the show. All it should be said, well received by a buoyant crowd. It was through 'Hiding On The Staircase' though, that the band shone. No coincidence then that it was during this song and 'Ice Cream' when Bulmer was able to show off that contagious exuberance of hers, and NYPC could really sparkle. Seeing a band trying to develop beyond the tunes that made them successful is something that should indeed be lauded. However, the truth is that although this group knows how to push the feel good and rouse a crowd, the new songs will not perhaps allow them to shift gears in the way they may have hoped. They have achieved some rare moments of pop magic in the past but these days may unfortunately now be behind them.
When a pop group's rise to stardom is heavily enhanced by the use of one of their songs in a TV commercial, it can be a mixed blessing. As one such band, New Young Pony Club will be hoping the release of their second album, The Optimist, can shake off any 'one hit wonder' tags and help the foursome build on their earlier success.
Following the release of Ice Cream back in 2005 (and subsequent re-releases), NYPC found themselves in popular demand. With an album in the charts, extensive was touring to follow. Returning with a second album the band have made an effort to reinvent themselves by adding an extra dimension to their punk-infused dance pop. Now with the experience to match the on-stage flamboyance of lead-singer Tahita Bulmer, the new album is something of a darker affair.
Entering the stage with the crowd in good spirits (after being thoroughly woken up by special guests Teeth) the band opened with new single Chaos. Still upbeat but slightly edgier than anything from the first offering, there seemed to be a conscious decision to showcase a new sound. Whilst there is undoubtedly a freshness to the new stuff, the energy associated with the group remains and this is my no means a sea change. The decision to bring an element of the noire, however slight, into what is essentially a dance pop act is always a risk and NYPC are, in reality, at their best when they stick to what they know.
With a set-list comprising of a fairly even mix of new material and favourites from 2007's Fantastic Playroom, the band sounded sharp and moved seamlessly through the show. All it should be said, well received by a buoyant crowd. It was through 'Hiding On The Staircase' though, that the band shone. No coincidence then that it was during this song and 'Ice Cream' when Bulmer was able to show off that contagious exuberance of hers, and NYPC could really sparkle. Seeing a band trying to develop beyond the tunes that made them successful is something that should indeed be lauded. However, the truth is that although this group knows how to push the feel good and rouse a crowd, the new songs will not perhaps allow them to shift gears in the way they may have hoped. They have achieved some rare moments of pop magic in the past but these days may unfortunately now be behind them.
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