On 30th June 2008 at 22:23 Anonymous 13 wrote...
Top review! Keep this up and I won't feel so bad about missing them all.
The Lazy Darlings
Live at Cockpit on Wednesday, 25th June 2008
There are countless questions that can, and inevitably have, been raised about the Futuresound Competition. But there's no query floating over the worth of the acts who have got this far and, arguably this year more than ever, the heats run the stylistic gamut and will fulfil the cliché that there really is something on offer for everyone's tastes.
So, as I launch myself on the somewhat daunting and quite likely foolish task of reviewing all ten of the heats, it's a relief to discover that all the previous assertions are all, in fact, true, and that tonight turns out to be even more enjoyable than expected.
Flowe draw the short alphabetical straw and are first on this evening. Crowds are quite sparse, but then this simply means many missed out on a juicy musical secret. Flowe seem to gambol through their set, perhaps accentuated by their dewy-eyed enthusiasm, but there is still a lot of power and a solid base behind their sprightly ditties. The impish, child-like inflection of the vocals easily misleads but delving just under the surface, often something more mature is going on. Delicate hooks are supported by some appealing chord progressions, with surprisingly little exploitation of folk-like primary chords for a band dubbing themselves 'folk 'n' roll', as well as some subtle, dynamic drum parts. Then, of course, the addition of the fiddle to the instrumentation also guarantees a certain amount of idiosyncrasy. It all gels remarkably nicely and makes for a winning set.
Miraculously, punters suddenly seem to amass for Jon Jones and the Beatniks Movement. The image is positively rock star - the leather jackets and unkempt hair are enormously convincing - and stage presence is top notch. The set itself is full-throttle and shred speed, both in terms of bpm and general approach, with fuzz and distortion to boot. Sometimes, though, and perhaps this is peculiar to me, it does come across as its very own pastiche: that's to say, some tracks sound very much akin to what The Mighty Boosh would write were Fielding and Barrett to parody heavy, grungy punk. This isn't even necessarily a negative comment; it does mean you can count on plenty of hooks and vivacity, both of which Jon Jones and the Beatniks Movement do well.
It does, however, strike me as more than a little unjust that neither Flowe nor The Lazy Darlings get as copious an audience as Jon Jones and the Beatniks Movement. There is again a petering out of numbers before The Lazy Darlings get their chance to shine. Regardless, they really do steal the show - perching comfortably between country twang and indie pop sensibilities, the set is captivating. The inclusion of the strong, soul-tinged female vocals is particularly successful, adding to the almost deep south, spirited gospel feel, most evident on the rousing "Life Is Easy". The lovely, lilting ballad "See Her Smile" is, however, the song which comes across best this evening; the musically sensitive, dynamic drumming and gorgeous piano ostinato have me sold. We even get a sax and an excellent guitar solo elsewhere in the set - what more can we ask for?
The bar has been set very high tonight by all. I'm anticipating similarly great things from the next twenty seven bands.
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On 11th July 2008 at 19:39 Anonymous 7128 wrote...
What a load of rubbish! Everyone left after Jon Jones because the last band were dreadful! (these things really are sewn up before they even begin aren't they?)
