Pony Up Launch Party // NAC - 01.02.2014
From Twee Off, here's Pony Up. Five acts for three quid. Bargain.
Tonight sees the first of what will hopefully be many Pony Up events at the Arts Centre. What a way to start.
First up is Bald Wife, featuring Owen on drums and Outline contributor / There's Someone In The Pond bassist Jack on guitar and vocals. The sound is sludgy and metallic, coming on like Flipper, Kyuss or Melvins on speed. Self-abuse anthem 'Five Minute Shame' is a highlight whilst 'Dog Feet' manages to sound like Motörhead playing the Osmonds 'Crazy Horses'. Very promising stuff and with a few more songs Bald Wife will warrant more than tonight's 7/10.
Also displaying a great deal of promise is Other Half's Pixies-esque grunge. Boasting songs called 'Shitty' ("because it is shitty") and 'Smack' ("because it starts with a smack"), this isn't original but is thoroughly enjoyable. Extra kudos for selling demo tapes. (7/10)
Playing fast songs that somehow remind me of Husker Du with the absurdist tendencies of Cardiacs or Flaming Lips, Long Balls is a duo of Raul on drums/sequencer and Neil on bass. Despite the lack of six string, "Terminator II" recalls both 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' and 'In Between Days' on 78rpm. Cracking stuff. (9/10)
Birds of Hell is Pete from Sargasso Trio on guitar, vox, effects and the occasional backing track. This set lacked cohesion, veering from Patti Smith / Kevin Shields' 'Crystal Sea' post-rock to Michael Chapman style slide to finger-picking in the vein of Jack Rose. Using backing tapes featuring an amateur opera-singing grandmother and concert pianist grandfather is an interesting move. A talented guy and I don't want to be negative but the songs just didn't do it for me. (4/10)Finally, Andrew, Billy and Rachel AKA Shopping. Stripped of FX, this is almost skeletal. Despite hints of Gang of Four, Wire, Talking Heads or PiL, songs like 'Long Way Home' have a punky, choppy, funky, poppy character all of their own. (8/10)
Pony Up Launch Party // NAC, 01.02.2014
Tonight sees the first of what will hopefully be many Pony Up events at the Arts Centre. What a way to start.
First up is Bald Wife, featuring Owen on drums and Outline contributor/There's Someone In The Pond bassist Jack on guitar and vocals. The set is sludgy metal in the vein of Kyuss or Melvins. self-abuse anthem "Five Minute Shame" is a highlight whilst "Dog Feet" manages to sound like Motörhead playing the Osmonds "Crazy Horses". Very promising stuff and with a few more songs Bald Wife will warrant more than tonight's 7/10.
Also displaying a great deal of promise is Other Half's Pixies-esque grunge. Boasting songs called "Shitty" ("because it is shitty") and "Smack" ("because it starts with a smack"), this isn't original but is thoroughly enjoyable. The band get extra kudos for selling demo tapes. (7/10)
Playing fast songs that somehow remind me of Husker Du with the absurdist tendencies of Cardiacs or Flaming Lips, Long Balls is a duo of Raul on drums/sequencer and Neil on bass. Despite the lack of six string, "Terminator II" recalls both "Love Will Tear Us Apart" and "In Between Days" on 78rpm. Cracking stuff. (9/10)
Birds of Hell is Pete from Sargasso Trio on guitar, vox, effects and the occasional backing track. This set lacked cohesion, veering from Patti Smith/Kevin Shields' "Crystal Sea" post-rock to Michael Chapman style slide to finger-picking in the vein of Jack Rose. Using backing tapes featuring an amateur opera-singing grandmother and concert pianist grandfather is an interesting move. A talented guy and I don't want to be negative but the songs just didn't do it to me. (4/10)
Finally, Andrew, Billy and Rachel AKA Shopping. Stripped of FX, this is almost skeletal. Despite recalling Gang of Four, Wire, Talking Heads or PiL, songs like "Long Way Home" have with a punky, choppy, funky, poppy character all of their own. (8/10)
