Gig Review: Radio Luxembourg, Clwb Ifor Bach, 20/9/08

With their Welsh roots, catchy hooks and playful, psychedelic edge it would be easy to dismiss Radio Luxembourg as Super Furry Animals Juniors. There are certainly worse bands to try and emulate but the band mix in equal amounts of The Small Faces and Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd into their sound along with a clutch of riffs straight out of the Chuck Berry song book.

With their boundless energy and ever shifting tempo the Radio Luxembourg keep the crowd on their toes. Not everyone here tonight can follow the band's predominantly Welsh language lyrics but nobody seems to mind. It would be a shame if their lyrics stopped them reaching a wider audience. When they break out buzzy little pop-psych gems like Eli Haul it doesn't really matter what they're singing about, the music gets people dancing and singing along to lyrics they can barely pronounce let alone understand.

Regardless of the language barrier, Radio Luxembourg have hit upon a great sound but they could still do with a couple more killer songs in their set list. If they can come up with a few as instant and infectious as set highlight Mostyn a Diego they should have a bright future ahead of them.

Lightspeed Champion, Cardiff Barfly, 08/02/08

Dev "Lightspeed Champion" Hynes used to be in the much hyped Test Icicles who imploded after one album so it's no suprise that the music press have been falling over themselves to write about his latest incarnation. His new sound has been hailed as a return to more tradtional indie values, Jangly guitars, fragile vocals and navel gazing. It would be a mistake that this also signifies a bunch of boring verse chorus verse repeat song structures.
Lightspeed Champion's songs build to a climax, like the imploring Tell Me What It's Worth or else combine a series of disparate parts like tonight's encore Midnight Suprise. Whether the results are epic or simply meandering is a moot point. There are moments of genuine beauty here but too often these songs sound like a succession of verses in search of a chorus.

Dev's already managed to capture a devoted following singing the words to every song, filling a niche for people who want the self obsessed misery that has always been a strand of indie songwriting but also want something a little lighter than the nu-metal and emo punks who have dominated that lyrical field for most of the past 15 years. The trouble is it's been done better before. We could all write a song about waiting for a phone call or not wanting to leave the house but a bit of wit or self awareness is always helpful if you're gonna perform it in public. His lyrics about throwing up in people's mouths and enjoying it aren't half as whimsically charming as he presumably thinks they are either.
Still, there's evidence here, like the decision to begin and end the set with fantastic new songs, that Dev is the sort of restless perfectionist who can't stand still for long. If he builds on the strengths on show tonight Lightspeed Champion will go from strength to strength.

Yeti, Cardiff Barfly, 6/02/08

On paper Yeti is the least appealing of all post-Libertines projects. Pete Docherty and Carl Barat, the band’s creative wellspring and joint mouth piece, formed Babyshambles and Dirty Pretty Things respectively. Meanwhile, Yeti have John Hassell who never wrote anything for The Libertines but carried on a long tradition of ‘quiet one’ bass players. So, while his old band have a best of in the shops, Hassell is still playing small venues like the Barfly with something to prove.

Tonight the band are further hamstrung by a missing guitarist after he collapsed from exhaustion. Johnno from support band The Foxes fills in manfully but Yeti are forced to play a truncated set. Even the drummer steps in on bass for a three piece version of tongue in cheek, music hall ballad Insect Eating Man, something of a set highlight.
Elsewhere they boast twangy guitars and bright, lively harmonies that add a folky lilt to sixties Brit rock. They owe more than a little to Hard Day’s Night era beatles and there’s nothing here to indicate that Yeti’s music was written anytime after 1970. Luckily Yeti have a gift for melody and a lightness of touch that makes these songs more than just tired retreads. Tunes like Never Lose Your Sense of Wonder and Merry Go Round sparkle. There’s a fine line between The Las and Cast. We can only hope Yeti can keep on the right side of it.

Camel One

25/7/07
Camel One headlined at Buffalo's last night to a small but enthusiastic crowd. A more excitable or generous onlooker might describe the bands restless frontman as "charismatic," "energetic" or even "irrespressable". As for myself, the three words running through my head as I watched him dance, preen and clap his way around the room were "pleased," "with" and "himself".

Still, don't let that put you off catching this soon-to-be-signed Watford four piece if you get the chance. Their sixties inspired sound would be leaden and dreary in the wrong hands but Moogs and a Hammond Organ add colour to the songs that are played with the vim and vigour of early Supergrass. They already have more good songs than Ocean Colour Scene have written in their entire retro-centric careers.

Support came from The Jan Watkins Band who matched a dull name with a dull set. They'll doubtless be booked again because they brought a lot of people in through the door. Sadly when they left the stage most of their fans left with them.

At the bottom of the bill Anthony Lee played another great solo slot, showcasing his voice, guitar pedal and beat-boxing talents. It's a shame he seems to putting all his efforts into promoting his band lately, because it's when he's on his own he really shines, mixing classy originals with covers including a euphoric version of Stevie Wonder's Superstition.