THE MORENAS' press release compares them to Razorlight (funkier) and the Killers (cooler). However, if you go along to a Morenas gig expecting the next Razorlight or Killers you will leave the venue feeling short changed. If you go to a Morenas gig expecting "Jeff Buckley on a bed of bass lines and Keith Moon" you will leave the venue feeling supremely fucked over. The Morenas don't sound like any of these. The bassist does happen to have a handy line in slap-wankery, but having a muso bassist does not make a great band. In fact it doesn't even necessarily make a funky band. Or even a funk band. Just look at Level 42. Know what I mean?
But thankfully for them, the Morenas don't claim to be a funk band. Phew. Their website claims that they were "Formed out of a mutual passion for music" as opposed to say, chess or architecture. You'd hope that all bands have more than a passing interest in music. Let me give the Morenas my first piece of advice: Fire your biographer. Second up, fire your singer - Paolo (who mysteriously doesn't seem to have a second name), because despite the claim that the music was inspired by his travels "through Europe and beyond” there is very little in their music to suggest they've gone further than a copy of a Pearl Jam album.
The Morenas are, as musicians, very accomplished. Live they are excruciatingly tight. However, what they have in technical prowess is let down for by the lack of ability for their songs to have any emotional attachment; connection between them and tonight's audience is always low. However, they do have a lot of energy and they are relentless. Watching the Morenas is like being kicked in by the school's head boy. They are all charm on the surface but, there is a latent violence to their music which they should more fully explore instead of pretending that they are a mixture of 'rhythm and groove soulfully tainted by the melancholy [...of what?]".
In some ways the music is remarkably intricate with drum fills and bass lines that would take someone with much more knowledge of the mechanics of music making than me to tell you about. To me it is mildly pleasurable.
Tonight’s opener "Heart and Soul" really lays out the Morenas manifesto. Paolo's vocals, though gravely are far from soulful and he sounds like he has a throat full of continental cigarette smoke brought back from his travels of foreign bars. He is by no means a bad singer, but this is far too affected. Singer loosen up! The song is fairly catchy with shades of the Undertones "Teenage Kicks" vaguely popping into my head, musoed-up to allow the animated Tim Jackson to dig into the most slap-hardy bass line that a song like this might allow.
Next up is the appallingly titled (or spelt) "It Shouldn't Mata". What is this all about? Do they mean "Matter" or is this an attempt at reconciling the singer with his adventures in "Europe and beyond"? Normally I would provide some lyrical insight at this point, but I couldn't make out what he was saying. The guitars remain wiry and bass lines darting, though with never any hint of sex or real attack. This is one thing the Morenas get right: It doesn't matter (no Mata how you spell it).
Next up is the promisingly titled "Filthy". And my hopes of something that is even approaching dirty are washed away. Paolo seems to have enough guitar effects to control the Starship Enterprise with his feet. However, three songs in and the lack of variety or perhaps more importantly, the fact that the sound of his guitar is simply not strong enough, means they are already starting to grate. He can play with a more than a measured amount of technical ability but the tone of his guitar is always metallic, distorted, abrasive and generally unfriendly - like a rich boy who's just been bought the best guitar, amp and distortion peddle in the music shop, but hasn't yet had his first guitar lesson. There is some nice high-hat tomfoolery from the drummer and the song does start to loosen up, but only to be tightened up again and leave you feeling strangled. There are two highlights: 1) when the bassist starts playing his guitar as if it were bongos and 2) when I get given a Morenas lighter, handy since I have recently broken my New Years resolution (though the lighter has since broken). Perhaps they should concentrate on just making music and leave the marketing to professionals once they've sold a few records. Incidentally you can vista the Morenas at www.themorenas.co.uk. (Tip: Don't distract the audience from the music they have paid to see).
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By the end of the song the audience look like they're having much less fun listening to the band on stage, than the band actually seem to be having onstage, who are indulging in all manner of rock star poses, leaping around with their guitars as if they were taming a bull. Call me old fashioned but this seems somewhat arrogant and abusive of the Morenas final position as entertainers. The very motives of this band seem questionable. Their musical style is always at odds with there claims. There is no real conviction apart for the possibility that they might get a blowjob from a member of the audience.
"One Stroke Engine" chugs along at quite a bouncy pace, though it breaks down a little too much and they somehow manage to sound like three bands at once (which I suspect they are), though I couldn't tell you which ones. Recent single "Coming Home" is all bass lines dropping in and out, Paolo whining. It stops suddenly. And then we are treated to "Social Abuse" with full rock out ending and lots more jumping about (from the band). At the end of the song Paolo asks if we're "Having a good time...?” The reply? Less than ecstatic. There's more of the same with "Revenge" and Jackson gets a bass fitted with blue lights up the fret board for the finale - it is, frankly, the high-light of the show.
A T4 appearance is looming and they obviously have some verve. I honestly wish the band the best of luck in the future. There is an audience for this music, but it isn't here.
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