Preceding the headliner tonight at Shoreditch’s Old Blue Last were the rather promising Savoir Adore from Brooklyn, with their first ever show in the UK. They come across as a sort of a hybrid Peter, Bjorn & John and New Young Pony Club. Getting by with just guitar, keyboard, drums and pre-recorded backing, having left two of the band members in the States, I imagine their sound would be quite stronger with the full five members, but pretty good nonetheless.
Hundred In The Hands, were frankly rather poor. With just two members (Jason Friedman on guitar and Eleanore Evendell on keyboard and mixer) there seemed a serious lack of cohesion in their set. Though the two seemed to overlap at times, the effect was individual competing musicians (and egos) with an abrasive sound that didn’t quite match up – with a ‘more is less’ approach. With a single, relentless automated disco beat hammering through the entire set, it became difficult to pick out Evendells vocals, and much of a melody of sorts. Friedman sped through a complex and intense number of changes on lead guitar, and was outstanding on bass, but for the majority of tracks, the feedback on guitar was up some much, you good only really hear a wall of distortion.
Plus One finds lively, emerald green caterpillar in her salad; Plus One complains of a migraine; Plus One heads home early, trailing clouds of thunder. Not the best build-up to a gig and one that left this reviewer somewhat crumpled at the edges. Fortunately, Stockholm duo Stefan Storm and Oskar Gullstrand were on hand to revive the corpse with an invigorating dose of ‘80s revivalist synth-heavy dance. Bolstered for the occasion by a drummer, a keyboard player and some rather nifty back projection, Sound Of Arrows filled Hoxton Hall with a warm electropop sound that nestles comfortably between indie and commercial – like fellow Swedes Peter, Bjorn and John, the group has already been pounced upon by the ad men – and has garnered inevitable comparisons with the Pet Shop Boys.
Behind the rather maniacal high pitched chanting in the background, which calls to mind a troop of demented marionettes dancing the Can-Can, comes another melancholy indie pop nugget from Scandanavia. Along the same lines as Peter, Bjorn and John’s ‘Young Folks’ – P&TP weave together ‘Never Never’ – a quirky combination of the mildly irritating and the wonderfully catchy. The single is keyboard-led, with a driving bass line, fast-paced drums and a light, haunting vocal. There is a maturity and a sophistication to the lyrics, which bring a simple worldly wisdom, stripped back lines with emotional substance such as “never, never, never in my life have I seen through myself” and “oh I though that I could see clearly, but I was too scared, I was terrified’. ‘Never Never’ is actually quite a wistful ballad, tucked away between layers of keyboard, guitar and insane marionette backing vocals. It’s a busy tune – that’s very arresting at first, then really grows in depth and enjoyment after a couple of listens. The slightly longer album version has a bit of an edge on the radio edit, with a twisted, psychedelic keyboard wig-out near the end bringing it to a higher climax.
