Gold Sounds - The Lexington

Gold Sounds started off a little bluesy, a little americana. Ooh maybe I'm thinking of Kingmaker, he's wearing glasses and there are some neat hooks in the melody. I think I'll stick with them projecting Kingmaker thing. My attractive ladyfriend reckons shades of The Lemonheads, but with the caveat that she has a limited frame of reference. Or the Shins, she adds.

On stage the singer is hoping to invoke Springsteen, but with literary influences such as Marlow and Fields.

I like their use of keyboards, I'll stick with the Kingmaker thing though, maybe Neil Hannanish vocals.

Ooh, my ladyfriend is dancing, they must be doing something right.

Terris?
The La's?
Adam J Smith lyricism?
Madnessy harmonies ska?

Guitar straps set to four-fifths? Seems a bit dodgy to me, can't trust bands who can't decide between full length and three-quarter lengths. The beast must die.

The singing chap sure can holler. He looks like he's just come from the office, hasn't had time to change but has been looking forward to the show all day, the boss had been moaning at him to get the end of month stats done, but there was no way he was going to be working late tonight.

The clapping intro is a bit iffy. Yeah, everyone was going clappity-clap or clap-clap-clappity, with timing all over the shop, even on stage. Just when I thought shambles would be the word, it started to turn out okay.

It was just the last song with tonnes of reverb, had something of the epic about it, all sparkly and magical. More of that sort of thing, please.

Monster Bobby - The Lexington

Arrived in time for the last three songs and one chord. It was a fine chord, sounded like a D.

Monster Bobby's on stage on his own, with guitar, synth, and sampler, wearing a retro jacket from Shoreditch borrowed from his big brother.

My attractive young ladyfriend reckons he's a bit experimental and avant-guard, she knows what experimental and avant-guard is cos she likes Mike Patton, but Monster Bobby is more twee than him. Essentially he's a bit electro-pop, she says.

I liked his shaggy hair.

Half-arsed Talking Heads dancing, must try harder. Here, take a look at this video.

That sort of dancing would enhance the Monster Bobby experience by at least an order of magnitude

Electrophonvintage - The Lexington

I've always been aware of Electrophonvintage's slightly FM sound, veering towards the Semisonic. Or Beautiful South, suggested my attractive young ladyfriend. Either perfect for a long car journey to the one you love, or I've been watching their 'Where you're not' video too much.

Liked them better when the girl was a full time member of the band, she spends half the show sat at the side of the stage, looking radiant, but not doing very much.

Its magic when she cranks up the melodica. Then again the more upbeat numbers are growing on me.

Their humour was lost in translation tonight. And the lyrics were a bit mumbly, difficult to make out, or maybe I'm going deaf, which is more likely to be honest.

Shrag - The Lexington

This one time someone left a snotty comment on here or possibly my other blog, complaining that I'd spelt Shragg wrong, so I'm starting off here remembering them as being quite snotty, rather than any preconception of what they sound like.

Its quite clunky painful music. Piercing girl vocals, organ-like keyboards from two keyboard players, and then the obligatory electric guitar, bass and drums.

The crowd seem to like them, roaring after each song and occasionally after hearing the opening chords of songs.

Ooh, painful microphone feedback.

Hmm, maybe I'm getting old, but how can anyone find these vocals nice to listen to? Maybe its supposed to instill pain and flinching? If it is, then they're very good.

I'm getting deja vu, is this what I wrote last time?

According to the last review I wrote, I fancy the one on the right, she's alright I guess.

Lily Allen-like in the slower more reflective numbers, also a little like The Deirdres occasionally, but with a bit of sandpaper stitched to the side. The girlie vox are a mile less 'cutesy' than I had them down for last time.

People are shouting out reviewish adjectives: 'sub-standard' - nah, they're better than last time, just still not my cup of tea.

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Tender Trap - The Lexington

Its my first time at The Lexington. I was being all political earlier in the evening so I arrived here late and missed Arthur and Martha.

The place is like King Tuts but with a higher ceiling. Its dark and its full, there is a glitterball disorientating me. But I see lots of familiar faces. I must break from standard operating procedure and speak with people I know.

Tender Trap are on stage, they are currently a five-piece band, electric guitar, bass, standing uppy drummer, Elizabeth Darling on keys and melodica, and singing Amelia Fletcher.

Former members of the legendary Talulah Gosh and Heavenly. Definitely shades of them in the sound, all bright-eyed and innocent not just the singing, but the melodies and lyrics and stuff. Does she qualify as a national institution?

Very English sounding. Slightly dischordant and a little nervous-sounding, which must be just a thing rather than for real, all things considered.

The ladies on stage look like they're enjoying themselves. Which is nice. I wonder why? Is it cos of the warm appreciative crowd, the venue or just euphoria?

Obligatory mention of them playing Indietracks this summer. Its going to be great in the sunshine.

Ooh, that girl who looks like Heather Graham is here. Its been years since I saw her at a gig.

So aye, my three year old niece is named after the singing girl, warm fuzzy feelings.

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