Mama Scuba
Live at Packhorse on Tuesday, 4th February 2003
The second in a week of Whiskas' specials at the Packhorse, sees the long-awaited return of Leeds' very own space rock kings Mamascuba. But first, dear readers, there is much more majesty in store. "Mister can you tell me where my love has gone, Little Japanese Toy?" is very nearly the line that Aneka came out with in the early 80s, and it's hard not to see why she loved this lot 20 years upfront. Amiable frontman James leads his troop of bass driven, jovial drumming chums through pushed to the max wibbly wobbly machined excellence, with post rock references aplenty, but still room for classic pop action. When James strings out his "10011110001010000111" line, I wonder what it means? VERY, VERY GOOD, I suspect. A good week for Paloalto, On section in NME, tour dates with John Squire, erm, hang on, oh not that Paloalto, but this one, fronted by ethereally vocalled love kitten Elaine. Expect half an hour of notes drifting off to infinity, soaring vocals and intense watching of guitarist Jay by young ladies in the crowd. Mellow, nice. Blank Space are on tour currently plugging a new single, which does hot business after the set, such is the extent of the Beck laden, Radiohead driven tuneage. Quite, quite lovely. Large amounts of big amps; a huge man mountain of a bass player; a scary cackling man on keyboards and oscillating devices; a guitar way too high on the body to be healthy; a small evil grinning frontman and a drummer who gurns as if his very existence requires it; this tends to suggest, in addition to the big boxes with Mamascuba plastered all over them, that, erm, Mamascuba are back in town. It's been a long wait, but worth it as the 8 song set is ripped through with passion and a huge sound. Singles "Pouche", "Snow" and the assorted newies that make up tonight's set rock with such spacey aceness, that it's fairly safe to say that the forthcoming so far untitled LP will be a deffo for buying. A triumph.
