 Deadloss
Superstar, in their alter-egos as Fudge Fanzine proprietors, are our
hosts for the evening, They like to take time off to relax from selling
tickets, compering and the like. They do this by taking to the stage
and making a right old racket. The crowd may be sparse at this early
hour, but like the fanzine writers they are, they're intent on having
fun. It's a fairly engaging mix of nu-metal, grunge and punk, though
they only sound like Rage Against the Machine occasionally. |
Meanwhile Juno are an odd mix. Not unpleasant by any means, a nice line in lilting tunes. The odd bit is how such a sweetly-voiced singer has gotten involved with a couple of guitarists intent on malicious damage to speakers and eardrums alike - imagine Monica Queen being forced to to jam with Macrocosmica. I'm not saying it doesn't work, but I'm not expecting to hear them on the Breakfast Show yet either. |
|
|
Kelebeck Butterfly on the other hand, come armed with semi-acoustic guitars. Thoughts of Belle and Sebastian aren't too much to the fore, but their upbeat strummy sound is a pleasant diversion - imagine Radiohead if they shook off the moodiness (and the blips and beats) and decided to make a pop record. |
|
|
 |
And so to Josephine. It appears for a second that they've taken up The Gents' old suits, throwing off the wooly pullovers mentioned in previous dispatches. They've also thrown away the rule book and started again, as previously-reported similarities to Cast or the Beatles have been expunged, and replaced with a new wave throwback feel - all skinny ties and ill-fitting jackets. Better still, they sound like they look - the guitar snarls like the Gang of 4 when plucked or the Wedding Present or Smiths (strummed). The singer stalks the stage like a demented Mark E Smith, though his vocals come across more like those of Stiff Little Fingers' Jake Burns. The female bassist-flautist lends backing vocals for those BIG choruses and the whole thing is, well, staggeringly exciting. The question in the audience at the end is if they've just witnessed The Next Big Thing. Believe the hype. |
Of
course, I'm biased, and all that's gone before is really a prelude to
the main events of the evening. And The Gents are the first installment
of the future of Scottish indie. A telly screen relays video of the
tour so far, showing hat The Gents have come a long way since their
be-suitted days. Known for being fairly noisy brutes, they're showcasing
their new ep and on this evidence it's a bit of a more chilled affair,
though they still roll out Ibiza anthem 'Spain' (complete with trumpets).
Your reviewer is prepared, having heard the new material in advance,
and if 'Marvelous Skies' gets some airplay then we will be hearing much
more from this band. Well, if there's any justice in the pop world.