Cribbing their name from the phrase the German audiences used to shout at the young Beatles when they played Hamburg's Star Club and dubbing themselves "Southampton's finest rock'n'roll group", MACH SCHAU are clearly in no mood to mince words where aspirations are concerned.
And, judging by the three tracks on "Demonstration One", they've no intention of holding anything back in giving this their best shot. They've been busy on the local scene over the past six months and the frantic, drilled punky riffing and hairs-standing-on-end excitement of enthusiastic opener "Feel This Way" is fitting for a band who've been opening for much-vaunted indie stars-in-waiting like Babyshambles and Special Needs of late. Actually, for all that it initially sounds a tad one-dimensional, but after a few plays the driving guitars and drummer John Farmer's restless drumming all conspires to hook you in and remind of early Buzzcocks.
The closing "She Said" has its' moments, too. This one's a rumbustious rocker with knife-edge riffing, staccato stops in strategic places and a fiery, impetuous streak that suits a young and hungry band to a T.
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Both of these are decent, if a little unoriginal, but it's second tune "Shoot The Blues" that really stands out and suggests Mach Schau are a band to watch. This one has a real swagger, a cheeky, La's-style edge and bags of charisma. John McIsaac's vocals are lippy, yet tinged with a notable sadness and there's a fantastic, spidery guitar solo. This is well-executed, proficient and exciting and makes it clear Mach Schau deserve to travel well beyond unsigned demo level.
I'm loathe to make sweeping statements on the basis of a few demo tracks, but it's immediately apparent Mach Schau seem to be on to something. As I write they're still less than nine months old, but even at this stage if they were confronted with a rabid Star Club audience themselves, I doubt they'd be found wanting.
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