MATT BERRY
The Masque
Described by the press release as 'A dark night of music and comedy', expectations may have been that this was one for the fans and that if you're not already a follower of the undeniable comic talents of MATT BERRY then you probably won't enjoy his music. However, this wasn't the case at all because as it turns out, when Matt Berry is involved music combined with comedy a equals a well chosen night out. Apart from from being one of Britain's foremost comic talents appearing in the likes of The Mighty Boosh and the IT Crowd before you even get to the genius of Garth Marenghi's Darkplace (the man was Dr Lucien Sanchez), Berry is renowned first and foremost for that distinctive baritone.
Entering the stage with his support band donning novelty 'scouser' wigs (presumably not worn for the Birmingham gig the night before), Berry immediately purveys that larger-than-life persona of the multi-talented performer that he is. With a swagger and permanent faux-serious expression, he has undoubted presence and was quick to engage the crowd with a few ready quips, such as the quite surreal 'Liverpooool! I'm in Liverpool' and wasted no time in getting into their groove musically. They opened with the quite morbid The Hangman, a part jazz instrumental, part spoken word introduction to the strange and surreal themes of Berry's work. Throughout many of his songs there are common themes of lost love and heartbreak, yet surprisingly the outcome is a strangely warming black comedy.
Showcasing his new album Witchazel, Berry also threw in a few crowd-pleasers, presumably with his comedy fan audience in mind. Mid-set, the insanely catchy theme to his left-field and largely overlooked TV comedy Snuffbox came out. That he actually wrote, scored and composed the music for the entire series himself, demonstrates that there are many strings to his bow. And it is within Love Is A Fool that it becomes apparent that Berry has genuine songwriting ability. The lines 'How can I love if it's plastic, to live on my own just seems tragic' make an inspired rhyming couplet which finds its way into the foremost conscious mind and stays there for hours after the show.
Whether Berry and his band currently have the volume of material to pursue this musical venture further, is another matter. At times they show glimpses of limitations within, despite all the fun being had. The question is, if the amusing lyrics and comic musical themes weren't there, would the music alone stand up to scrutiny? Tracks such as Hot Dog and Jet Setter from first album Opium, suggest they would. Here Berry has created atmospheric, haunting, music which is intriguingly upbeat at the same time. The new songs from Witchazel though, don't perhaps quite manage to explore any new ground. An Awakening and Accident At A Harvest Festival meander along promisingly but don't have much of the wit or allure of his earlier work. The album as a whole whilst agreeable and admirable for its musicianship, does come across as slightly one-dimensional and at it's worst easily forgettable. This night was worth it alone though for One Track Lover possibly Berry's finest work. A brilliantly funny spoof of a song, stemming from his role as Lucien Sanchez in Channel 4's Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, it is '80s soft rock containing the sublime line 'She's cool, like ice, cold to the touch and it isn't very nice' performed in the show as a rap by Richard Ayoade. The song not only proves Berry's worth as a songwriter and comedian but also as a highly talented musician. He's also an entertainer and one whose shift from the periphery of British comedy to the centre has really been long overdue.
Pete Robinson
Sunday, 9 January 2011
The Acorn at Mojo, Liverpool, 26.11.10
THE ACORN
Mojo
THE ACORN are a Canadian band with a growing reputation for their affecting and delicate indie sound. Formed in 2003 and are currently touring their third album No Ghost, follow-up to 2007's Glory Hope Mountain. In the cosy and intimate surroundings of the venue, they seemed in high spirits as they came onto the small Mojo stage; instantly chatty and sharing jokes with the crowd.
They are a band who have attracted much praise since the release of their second long-player Glory Hope Mountain and have supporters as diverse as Elbow's Guy Garvey and Kanye West (the latter has been known to have waxed lyrical about the group's indie hit Crooked Legs). Since their last offering though, the Rolf Klausener-fronted 4-piece have matured their sound and arrived with a new body of work to show off. Though they started the set with the laid-back psychedelica of Flood from the first album, they were quick to bring out their latest work through the likes of Cobbled From Dust and Kindling To Cremation. The former is a slowly pulsating number with a chiming melody, complemented nicely by Klausener's yearning vocals. The latter is similarly pleasant and well-crafted but also demonstrates lyrically how accomplished The Acorn are as songwriters. The line 'and this is how you pass the time away' has a certain soporific quality to it which typifies much of No Ghost. There is still the signature atmospheric, hypnotic sound that sets The Acorn apart from contemporaries, but new ground has been explored and musically they have ventured further afield than in the past. In Misplaced they kick away slightly from the floaty ambience associated with their sound and seamlessly switch modes to a more upbeat, crisp rhythm. Whereas in No Ghost, they offer guitar hooks from the top of the fret-board which bring to mind The Foals as much as anyone.
Yet whilst this allows The Acorn to display a broader range and gives the impression they have the ideas to progress further still, it also hints at their limitations. There are weaker tracks on the album such as Almanac and I Made The Law where there seems to be a loss of focus. The former is a curious track and although calling it filler might be a touch harsh, it is one that doesn't really blossom. It feels in parts like The Acorn have failed where Midlake have succeeded with 2010's Acts Of Man. There is plenty of beauty on offer for the most part, and this was a performance easily capable of attracting the uninitiated. Judging by the positive reaction in Mojo, there will be plenty who followed up their interest too.
The Acorn are a a band very much still on a journey and have not yet produced their masterpiece. They are hit and miss and are not yet the finished article but if the journey alone is this alluring then they are well worth perserving with. Don't be a surprised if in a couple of years they reach a wider audience with a record which not only makes people sit up and take notice but has a lasting influence on the world of indie rock.
Pete Robinson
Mojo
THE ACORN are a Canadian band with a growing reputation for their affecting and delicate indie sound. Formed in 2003 and are currently touring their third album No Ghost, follow-up to 2007's Glory Hope Mountain. In the cosy and intimate surroundings of the venue, they seemed in high spirits as they came onto the small Mojo stage; instantly chatty and sharing jokes with the crowd.
They are a band who have attracted much praise since the release of their second long-player Glory Hope Mountain and have supporters as diverse as Elbow's Guy Garvey and Kanye West (the latter has been known to have waxed lyrical about the group's indie hit Crooked Legs). Since their last offering though, the Rolf Klausener-fronted 4-piece have matured their sound and arrived with a new body of work to show off. Though they started the set with the laid-back psychedelica of Flood from the first album, they were quick to bring out their latest work through the likes of Cobbled From Dust and Kindling To Cremation. The former is a slowly pulsating number with a chiming melody, complemented nicely by Klausener's yearning vocals. The latter is similarly pleasant and well-crafted but also demonstrates lyrically how accomplished The Acorn are as songwriters. The line 'and this is how you pass the time away' has a certain soporific quality to it which typifies much of No Ghost. There is still the signature atmospheric, hypnotic sound that sets The Acorn apart from contemporaries, but new ground has been explored and musically they have ventured further afield than in the past. In Misplaced they kick away slightly from the floaty ambience associated with their sound and seamlessly switch modes to a more upbeat, crisp rhythm. Whereas in No Ghost, they offer guitar hooks from the top of the fret-board which bring to mind The Foals as much as anyone.
Yet whilst this allows The Acorn to display a broader range and gives the impression they have the ideas to progress further still, it also hints at their limitations. There are weaker tracks on the album such as Almanac and I Made The Law where there seems to be a loss of focus. The former is a curious track and although calling it filler might be a touch harsh, it is one that doesn't really blossom. It feels in parts like The Acorn have failed where Midlake have succeeded with 2010's Acts Of Man. There is plenty of beauty on offer for the most part, and this was a performance easily capable of attracting the uninitiated. Judging by the positive reaction in Mojo, there will be plenty who followed up their interest too.
The Acorn are a a band very much still on a journey and have not yet produced their masterpiece. They are hit and miss and are not yet the finished article but if the journey alone is this alluring then they are well worth perserving with. Don't be a surprised if in a couple of years they reach a wider audience with a record which not only makes people sit up and take notice but has a lasting influence on the world of indie rock.
Pete Robinson
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