T-Break Heat 7 @ King Tut's, 13 May

Everyone in attendance must have got a taste of Injuns' unusual concoction of pop-led jazz funk

Article by Malky B | 15 Jun 2006

First to grace the stage tonight are Futuro (4/5) with their take on the angular guitar pop-rock style popularised recently by Bloc Party et al. The Glasgow trio's songs are big on sing-along choruses and effectual harmonies, all backed up by a solid indie dance beat. With the small crowd affecting the atmosphere, Futuro gave little real stage presence but those who caught their set will have enjoyed it nonetheless.

Trap 6 (1/5) flatter to deceive, apparently aiming for similar pop-rock ground to Futuro but hitting the middle of the road, day time radio friendly sounds of Maroon 5 & Co. Their lyrics are contrived and simple as the structure is repeated with no variation.

Tipping the scale of variety are Isle of Skye's Injuns (4/5). With the crowd on the increase throughout their set, everyone in attendance must have got a taste of Injuns' unusual concoction of pop-led jazz funk. With a nod to Sparks' school of song writing, intelligently layered vocals and dancing trumpeter, Injuns are a pleasure to watch as much as to listen to.

The collective smile on the face of the Tuts crowd is wiped clean off by Kings Die Kings (1/5). Relying too heavily on Joy Division's style and sound, Kings Die Kings fail to transcend their influence. With a stationary frontman and matching outfits, it is style over substance. The songs are instantly forgettable, though the crowd size implies they have an appeal to some.

Going into the final hurdles of the second to last night and Tinrokit (2/5), an Edinburgh three-piece, offer a nice line in T-shirts, random Leslie Grantham insults and guitar based pop. Unfortunately the songs are unremarkable, displaying a penchant for the Britpop of the 90s and pointless harmonies. The crowd begins to dissipate as a result.

This leaves Reograd (2/5) to close the night with their Kraftwerk and Daft Punk flirtations. The Perth based duo present interesting work but each song cements the opinion that adding another dimension, vocals, guitar, etc, would widen their appeal. An unanimated and at times repetitive formula means that Saturday night closes with a whimper.

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