Redtrack + Cohere + No Americana + Imogen’s Kiss @ Hare & Hounds, 9th June 2011
It specifically said on the flyer, ‘Emma Scott Presents…’ Well, I looked high and low at the Hare and couldn’t find her anywhere! A promise more honoured in the breech than the observance, me thinks. Honestly!
Anyway, it’s a Midlands talent showcase of aspirational rockers and four bands are always a logistic squeeze but all went very smoothly. First on were Tamworth escapees, Imogen’s Kiss. Having rummaged through their parents’ attic archive of influential LP vinyl they conjured up a gritty set of no nonsense retro rock that paid homage to early Groundhogs, Free and possibly The Undertones. Throwing in a carpet-bagging relish of Garage/Grunge we had a heady brew of acid/fuzz distortion cranked collide-oscopic freak-out. Adding some wonderful XTC like time-signature dexterities and guitarist, Adam Wilson’s, born to run vocals made it all a wholesomely snappy tight set.
Stage Setlist: Spectacular to Shine, Some place special, Snare drum cinderella, 5:39, Viva la diva, Good Intentions, The last time but the next time.
Now, calling your selves No Americana when blatantly their target audience is USA Uni/college slackers infers either, a wry sense of counter-untuitive irony, or being just plain thick. Nevertheless, it was evident that the females in the audience were more pre-occupied with the dish/deelish attractions of guitarist/vocals, David James Foster and band’s take on alt/Brit Rock. Great stage presence and all the trapping of ‘rawk’ cool theatrics made for an engaging set. The parameters of this potentially claustrophobic genre demand a killer-defining anthemic song. They’re just too damned energetic not to find it very soon.
With Cohere, having all the subtlety of a runaway JCD with a bucket-full of broken glass and razor-blades caressing one’s testicles, it has to be said their bastardised, amorphous take on 60s retro rock was decidedly refreshing. Their thunderous fuzz-fest had me feeling mugged with nostalgic flash-backs of Gun’s ‘Race With The Devil’ and early Jethro Tull/Cream’s ‘Cat Squirrel’. Didn’t get a setlist, but song 3 left indelible blisters on my sonic synapsis.
Flamboyant in Some Like It Hot zoot-suit and oozing very rock-cocky self-assurance I’m sure Redtrack played a blinder but I got a text telling me some wanker had just screw-drivered my van and had to get home quick. Sorry, guys, I owe you one. Just off now to ‘Crack-Converters’ next door to the H&H to see if the same wanker has just pawned his liver for a gram. If so, I’ll stamp on it you bastard!
Review – John Kennedy
Photos – Ian Dunn