I’ve mentioned THE HAIR before. W&H (bless us) have had two cracks at their rather cute self-released EP. But whatever I said before, the truth is THE HAIR are Northern Soul scallies out for a good time, with the kind of riffs and tunes that pretty well declare war on any audience not inclined to get involved. Sam Robson’s strong voice and Neil Clark’s cunningly recreated organ sounds (it’s actually a KORG X5DR Module he’s got working there) give us something in between Booker T and The MGs and Orange Juice. But tonight’s audience don’t seem to be in a very archaeological mood. They can just feel the energy and they want to move about. With serious vigour and physical intent. No less. Richard Craig can batter the drums for a stomping crescendo or clip the off beat with jerking syncopation - either way it’s drumming in the service of what it sounds like - and it sounds like dancing to me.
The set opens tonight with their well-established taster tune “Sexual Chocolate” and finishes with the whole band hammering on whatever percussion they can find. The songs in between are individuals that you hear once and remember. “Bunny Boiler” has that infectious slipping disco kind of beat and a psychotic chorus line “I’m gonna boil ya!” that has something a lot more lascivious in mind than movie horror time.
“Stop It” is an audience tease, with its luminous keyboard part and crowd bating stops and starts. “Left Foot Right Foot “ is so two footedly simple and swaying that even the likes of your permanently clumsy reviewer could dance to it. There’s a brand new tune - “Drawing Board”, that’s every bit as good as their audience-tested and dancefloor-approved standards like “Brick Supply”.
As with real pop music, each song has a fine signature hook. Sometimes the infectious riff is coming from Neil’s keyboard lines, sometimes it’s a huge bass riff from brother Lee Clark. This might well be party time - but that’s no excuse for shoddy tunes or easy fillers and THE HAIR don't stint on the art and craft of their chosen mission. They're gigging regularly and adding new songs only when they're better than one of the current fine set.
|
They’ve been working hard tonight, and the student audience is getting bigger, pressing forward and getting into the action as the set rolls on. You can feel something in the air. There’s a buzz for what they’re doing and (night follows day etc) moves to get them attached to a wider market are pressing in. Just one big killer song would do the job now.
MODELISTE did the opening set with each of the trio doing Jazz player quality funk tunage with three part vocals. The sound here is a lot better than t e last time I heard their stuff and I've got to stand back and tell you they can definitely play a bit. Benjamin Stevens' drumming is extra fine, and while Ben Adey's bass and Ross McOwen's guitar do virtuoso things there's no silly showing off and it all fits very well. Whether the world really needs another super-competent funk trio is up to the world entirely. BUt if the mood takes them, they could do a lot worse than come get a chunk of MODELISTE.
|
