I
also picked up their new CD, “The Other I”, but despite it generating a
similar mood of wistful melancholy as their eponymous debut, I found it
a bit, well,
samey really, overall no real development or progression to their
sound, a couple of numbers (notably the excellent “Crest”)
notwithstanding. Nevertheless, one hopes that as at the Jericho, the
band could rise above their lack of obvious tuneage “live”.
We’ll see… So, I set off after 7 for a run down an increasingly rainy
M4, rather stupidly over-shooting my turn in the centre of Bristol, but
eventually finding a lucky parking spot directly outside the venue,
nonetheless getting soaked while I got the ticket.
D’oh! Dried off in the downstairs bar while watching the first half of
the Man City Champion’s League game, then took a wander upstairs for
opener Follow The Sun. Wished I hadn’t, as he was (again) “playing” low
budget nature documentary theme tune bollocks through his tape loop machine whilst sitting there looking gormless. I
hate these so-called “musicians” who do this… hate ‘em!
I
was therefore more kindly disposed to main support LSA – at least they
were a proper band! – and honestly they were much more the ticket. A
gang of four black and red clad youths playing some generic
but spritely and upbeat glam/indie guitar pop, with their third number
displaying some shimmering shoegaze fretwork, and their best number,
“Where’s The Time Gone” (?) showing some widescreen stadium rock
tendencies. Set closer “Honest Man” spewed out impressive
garage rock venom, closing a nice support set from a confident young
band clearly still looking for their own identity. It’ll be interesting
to see how they end up…
Back
into the now-busy upstairs room for the main act; I took a spot near
the front as 2:54, after a soundcheck and brief departure from the
stage, re-appeared at 10, the 4-piece band led by sisters
Collette and Hannah Thurlow and backed up by 2 beefy blokes. Opener
“South” kicked off proceedings, the girls slowly swaying and rocking in
time with this moody opener. An early “Scarlet” segued splendidly into
the excellent, creepy “Sugar”, and a subsequent
bouncy “Crest”, easily their best new number, was also head and
shoulders above anything else tonight, a sweeping chorus featuring some
almost early U2-like intricate guitar riffery from Hannah, and some
pounding drums from the impressive, hard-hitting sticksman.
That,
however, was as good as it got. All too often there was little
variation in the otherwise patchy material, and it merged into one,
relying too much on evoking a gloomy, melancholy mood and
atmosphere, and on Collette’s strident atonal vocals. Like one of their
obvious antecedents, 90’s pseudo Goth/electronica band Curve, they’ve
got a couple of really good numbers right now, then there’s a
big gap, then there’s the rest… The chorus line to new number
“Blindfold” uncomfortably resembled Adamski’s “Killer” (covered by them
last time out), and I confess my mood wasn’t helped by ubiquitous (and
large) scenester Jeff turning up midway through
and barging right to the front, necessitating a shift around just so
that I could see! Appreciate your enthusiasm Jeff, but you make a lousy
window…
“Orion”
concluded a lengthy-feeling 45 minute set, prior to which Collette
thanked everybody for coming, stating, “it’s been a long road back”.
Perhaps they should have made a couple of more stops
along said road to write more songs and develop their sound further, I
thought as I swiftly exited the venue (no set-list tonight, so my recent
run stops at 20, but after this show I wasn’t that bothered) and made
my way home, a wretched journey down a sodden
M4. Sorry girls, but I’m afraid that on the strength of tonight and the
current album, 2:54 have been well and truly eclipsed in the doomy goth
girl-pop stakes by the likes of Savages, and I’ve got the feeling the
next time I see them – and there will be a
next time, I’m not giving up on this still-promising band that easily –
it’ll be in exactly the same size of venue as tonight…
No comments:
Post a Comment