T-Break Heat 3 @ The Liquid Room
Sergeant brought a summery sound that would be perfectly suited to an outdoor festival stage in July
| 15 Jun 2006
Sonnet 65 (2/5) kick off proceedings with arpeggios and a violin, driving guitars and epic choruses, though their cold-afflicted vocalist struggles to hit his targets. It's all a bit dreary and flat until the chiming guitar hook of the final song provides a glimpse of promise, much appreciated by their bus-load of middle-aged groupies.
Second band Sweetheart (2/5) would probably be really enjoyable for anyone who's never heard a Talking Heads record – quick, someone phone the NME! – but unlike other recent bands who've taken the 'Heads' blueprint and reframed it, Sweetheart just don't sound anything new, even down to the irreverent speak/sing vocals.
Jack Butler (4/5) showed the way – the band's punk-funk sound borrowed lots of contemporary and older influences, but mashed up with the star-gazing guitars of Interpol and a Julian Casablancas' growl on vocals, they created a new energy like a good DJ with a sampler. Perhaps they'd already be playing festival stages if they'd arrived 2 or 3 years ago.
Fourth band, Attic Lights (2/5), were nice, and had vocal harmonies and upbeat melodies – but then again, so did The Thrills. The second bus-load of parents, uncles and aunties, arriving for the final two bands, were able to note that Attic Lights were like Coldplay, but not as good.
Fife quartet Sergeant(3/5), seemingly with Bjorn from Abba on bass, sounded like they could be 4 of the 11œ people to have bought The La's album. With a lead singer like Liam Gallacher without the snarl, Sergeant brought jaunty, jangly brit-pop to the Liquid Rooms, a summery sound that would surely be more suited to an outdoor festival stage in July.
Finally, Ben Arkle (2/5) confused everyone by starting with a cover-not-cover of No-One Knows, and didn't impress with a couple of formulaic Soundgarden soundalikes and a dreary ballad. The final two songs were redeeming however, the first carefully building in atmosphere and the second featuring a great riff and energy to end the night on. [Ally Brown]
Second band Sweetheart (2/5) would probably be really enjoyable for anyone who's never heard a Talking Heads record – quick, someone phone the NME! – but unlike other recent bands who've taken the 'Heads' blueprint and reframed it, Sweetheart just don't sound anything new, even down to the irreverent speak/sing vocals.
Jack Butler (4/5) showed the way – the band's punk-funk sound borrowed lots of contemporary and older influences, but mashed up with the star-gazing guitars of Interpol and a Julian Casablancas' growl on vocals, they created a new energy like a good DJ with a sampler. Perhaps they'd already be playing festival stages if they'd arrived 2 or 3 years ago.
Fourth band, Attic Lights (2/5), were nice, and had vocal harmonies and upbeat melodies – but then again, so did The Thrills. The second bus-load of parents, uncles and aunties, arriving for the final two bands, were able to note that Attic Lights were like Coldplay, but not as good.
Fife quartet Sergeant(3/5), seemingly with Bjorn from Abba on bass, sounded like they could be 4 of the 11œ people to have bought The La's album. With a lead singer like Liam Gallacher without the snarl, Sergeant brought jaunty, jangly brit-pop to the Liquid Rooms, a summery sound that would surely be more suited to an outdoor festival stage in July.
Finally, Ben Arkle (2/5) confused everyone by starting with a cover-not-cover of No-One Knows, and didn't impress with a couple of formulaic Soundgarden soundalikes and a dreary ballad. The final two songs were redeeming however, the first carefully building in atmosphere and the second featuring a great riff and energy to end the night on. [Ally Brown]