This Is Music presents: Y'all Is Fantasy Island @ Sneaky Pete's, 11 March

Article by Darren Carle | 14 Mar 2011

“I guess it’s true what they say, if folks don’t come then the band won’t play.” So railed Y’all Is Fantasy Island’s front-man Adam Stafford on early demo Consider Yourself Swallowed. Prophetic words indeed as YiFI sign off to a less-than bulging Sneaky Pete’s tonight.

First up though are Two Wings, a Gallic-tinged five-piece personally invited by Stafford after they missed an earlier gig at the now-defunct Roxy. Vocally they are definitely an acquired taste, straddling somewhere between a helium-inflected Beth Gibbons and Babooshka-era Kate Bush. Refusing to be pigeon-holed they flit from mid-Americana country to anthemic seventies rock, which helps soften with their appeal. By their final curveball, there’s a noticeable ripple of head nodding and feet tapping amongst the growing crowd.

Loch Awe, by comparison, seem an odd choice to follow up. Quite simply, the young four-piece are not ready for such a spotlight. Nerves are clearly evident, mistakes crop up with embarrassing regularity and the sound is often flat, overly trebly (there’s no bass player, natch) and simply out of tune. Yet they can obviously write a song, with their later folk-esque material a welcome progression from the opening run of slightly staid acoustic indie fare. Time and a little Dutch courage could make Loch Awe worth another visit yet.

So, another underappreciated local talent bites the dust (see De Rosa, Come On Gang et al). Choosing an overview which steadily and stealthily increases in volume and bite, Y'all is Fantasy Island bow out with a chronological snapshot of their prolific output. From the hushed, ominous tones of These Are The Days to the touch-paper ignition of With Handclaps, Stafford and co. play it straight with no fanfare or frills. “We’ve never been a party band,” Stafford astutely acknowledges at one point. Perhaps not, but tonight's celebration marks a dignified exit. [Darren Carle]

http://www.myspace.com/yifimusic