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Live Review
by SashaS
16-12-2004
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| Infrasound: on the way outta Leeds |
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Live: Infrasound
Metro, London
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Infrasound - an introduction to Leeds’ contender
One of the good things with this peripatetic reporting is that you can choose your own support act without being bound by the choice/dealings of the headliners. [Obviously, it has to be at a venue of some reasonable distance…] Hence, before going to see Doves - one Manc’s band that, frankly, makes music for people who get their discs in the Tesco’s shopporiums - we popped in to catch new hopefuls, Infrasound.
A young quintet from Leeds playing music that is New Wave-ishly rocking. The band’s named influences are Lou Reed, Can, Iggy Pop’s Stooges, Joy Division, Public Image Ltd and Gang of Four. The last one may not be so noticeable in the overall sound but their guitarist Joel Dowson is certainly fan of Andy Gill’s six-string work.
Mr Gill also produced the band’s debut album ‘Out Of Order’ [provisionally set for a late Spring streetdate] but Infrasound’s music, for the difference from Go4, is of internal politics, inter-gender battlefields rather than agitating against the government or some other global calamity-de-semaine. John Walker fronts the band with a solid voice, somewhat bluesy, vocally augmented by keyboardist Adam Dacre at times. [The remaining two members are bassist Liam Earp and drummer Richard Waite.]
These are early days - the band’s been together for two years - and are still developing their vocabulary. Singer also displays some Liam Gallagher-like mannerism but a number of shows will help Mr Walker [Black Label, I presume?] him evolve individual stage persona. It also should be taken into evidence, your Honour, that being a support band means Infrasound only get to perform half-dozen tracks, sorta public showcase.
Leaving a very positive impression on the present lot that mainly consists of friends and relatives, their PR and few reporters… Y’know, the nature of a band can be deducted by the shoes they wear: canvass Cons, trainers, biker-boots or something else. Infrasound belong in the last group - traditional style of old-skool design, probably ‘previously owned’ - and that, with their student chic, indicates this band is not settling for quick and easy options.
Their new single, ‘Deerhunter’, is a shapely slice of catchiness that is set for the Valentine's Day release and whether it succeeds is more question of vogue/timing/luck than any quality. [The band’s debut single ‘Fire In the City’ was released last June.]
After touring with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and The Fall, having appeared at the Carling Festis at Leeds (2003) and Leeds and Reading stages earlier this year they should be further up… If this band hailed from NYC, playing the music they do and being produced by such a New Wave legend, they’d already be on the NME cover instead of the mag’s OTT staple of The Libertines, for instance!
SashaS
16-12-2004
Infrasound's single 'Deerhunter' is released 14 February 2005 by Versity Music
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