- Independent UK Promoting

COG Review - 2/5/09 (L.W.Pictures/M.S.Captains/O.Royalty/Riff Raff)

Club Night Review

Saturday 2^nd May at the Lexington

Bands: Left With Pictures, My Sad Captains, The Outside Royalty, Riff Raff

Of course everyone’s talking about swine flu, but the fact of the matter is it’s infected about 20 people in this country and killed none. It’s officially killed about 20 Mexicans (or 0.5 of a Briton in media importance terms). You know what’s far more likely than getting this flu? Being stabbed in the dark. The cure for this is to take part in more large gatherings on a regular basis. But not every day of course – you might catch the swine flu. Best to make it the 1^st Saturday of the month, in somewhere hip yet cosy in central London, like the Lexington.

Coincidentally, this is the exact time and place to enjoy a Club COG gig, where the best up-and coming indie bands this side of the solar system earn their stripes. This particular night was distinctly top-notch. Things kicked off with 6-piece Ska jollification combo Riff Raff. They proffer simple stuff in the guise of a modern take on the Specials. Unfortunately they sound like an indie version of an inept Plan B (who’s pretty inept himself).

I’d be tempted to say that once they have finished composing a song, and have played it through for the first time, more bands should stop and ask ‘has this been done before?’ I’d be tempted to go further and say that if every band did, Riff Raff wouldn’t exist. But I won’t, because despite the fact that for a majority of their catalogue the songs contain overly simple song structures and sixth-form quality lyrics taken seriously (such as in the horrid ‘NYC loves LDN’), Riff Raff make amends. They redeem themselves by having two songs that show their potential, that make full use of their bloated numbers, and that justify the likes of Colin Murray and Steve Lamacq’s praise (although Colin Murray’s praise is worth about 0.5 of a retard’s in music importance terms).

‘My Blood is Brave’ and ‘Fins in the Dark’ were the refreshingly active tracks that ended their set on a high note. They contained progressive songcraft that their other songs lacked, as well as sounding less like a badly put together jovial Jamie T tribute and more like their own unique compositions.

Business picked up dramatically with the next band. The Outside Royalty were without their cellist, but still captivating from the outset. Their first song ‘Safety in Numbers’, had an endless, uplifting build-up to a bewitching climax that epitomised the band’s sound. It is what modern indie rock should sound like– meaningful, purposeful, sincere, beautiful and enchanting. ‘Voice Beneath the Rubble’ continued in this vein, with the violinist augmenting the song exquisitely by herself in the cellist’s absence.

Their version of ‘Eleanor Rigby’ is still the only cover worth listening to in the London indie circuit, and their entire back catalogue is consistently hook-laden and charming, from ‘A Lightbulb Turning Off’, to ‘Palladium’. ‘Falling’, their current single, is actually not their best track, and yet still it is comfortably better than most other bands’ best efforts. They have the feel of being an important group for some inexplicable reason, and yet are incredibly friendly and approachable both on stage and off. It’s impossible to think of them staying in the underground too soon, for The Outside Royalty are one of the best bands in the country.

My Sad Captains had a hard act to follow then – a challenge they matched effortlessly. The first thoughts when you hear them are ‘Is that Lou Reed in a twee indie band?’ The mellow and sweet Captains are an at-times plinky plonky, at times whimsical act of blissful melodies and a predilection for slow tempo. If you want to know what a happy, well adjusted, sunny meadow-living Lou Reed would’ve sounded like then they’re the only chance you have.

Distinctive vocals aside, the five-piece offer a catalogue on the quiet side of Athlete and on the saccharine side of Jack Johnson (remember him? me neither). Now, this music has its place; after a death in the family, after a divorce, or before an execution, it’s perfectly acceptable to put on something summery and lovely to escape the bitter reality of the situation, but for some reason My Sad Captains make it suitable listening at all times, everywhere.

The reason? Quality. Every song is so radio-friendly they could legally cite Act of God as the reason they haven’t been picked up by a major label – yet. They’re consistently inspired in the way they deliver their sickly sweet chill-out loveliness. ‘Great Expectations’ and ‘All Hat And No Plans’ are captivating songs that sound so familiar they must’ve been stolen. No, seriously, they’re probably plagiaristic charlatans of the worst order, but even if they are they’d be forgiven simply because they do it so well. ‘Great Expectations’ in particular is handicapping in its joyousness, with the lead singer’s vocals at their most Reed-y, and the ‘doo-run-run-run’ bit (stolen from the Crystals, but I don’t mind) lending a 60s hippy air to it. Altogether, it was brilliant stuff from another memorable band.

After two amazing support groups, Left With Pictures had the heavy task of headlining the event. The stage was suddenly populated by five men dressed in a heady mix of 19^th century formal attire and ludicrous ‘fashionably unfashionable’ jumpers. One looked like Damon Hill’s younger brother, another like Frankie Muniz if he was allowed to grow up. The Hill lookalike then told everyone to ‘shut the fuck up’ and then stood on an amp to elevate himself even higher than normal (or necessary) and sang the first song without a mic while the others hummed and ‘oooh’ed. Pretentious? You decide. (Yes.) Charismatic and courageous? Maybe. (No.)

Of course the song itself was of good calibre, but not as good as the one that followed, which they played properly. This showed what the highly-talked of band are about – violin, kooky keyboard, folky guitar and simple drumming. The lyrics are full of what idiotic students would call ‘intellectual’ affectations and references. There’s a constant air in their songs of actively trying to second-guess the listener with sudden changes of direction and melody, deliberate additions to the ends of verse lines and old-fashioned imagery that a casual youth would attribute to the well read.

But despite this they produced a relaxed atmosphere of pleasant harmonies. Their two lead vocalists took turns providing soul and intimacy to their set. Of course, it was only a matter of time before the banjo came out and they went all ‘Irish pub musicians’ on us, ending their wandering minstrel routine by playing in the crowd, which was even more charismatic and courageous than how they started.

But the overall impression was still of a band of distinctive repute. The crowd was loving every moment of it, even if yours truly was, and still is, fighting every fibre of his soul not to unleash expletives. Left With Pictures are a band making waves in the country’s music media. Let’s hope for their sake that they perform in many more large gatherings in the future. Because I’ll be waiting for them in the dark. Until next time,

Muhammad Odeh