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xeented to get it a little too eax} earl} on. 'l'he} eatne round on their lirxt totirx and new pla}iltg plaeex the xi/e oi the ()Nll'. hut it'x IX ninnthx later aitd “here are the} no“ .’ We alxo appreciate that \\L' are tr}ing to do thingx a little dillerentl}. hopelull) \xith xotne degree nl' longe\it_\. \Ve \tant to make lotx ol' alliuinx. not iuxt one hit alhuinf
In Zillit). "l‘hekidxxxhopoptnda)\tillriiektnninrrou'. tlte hand'x litt'ltllltlllxl} titled xeeond xingle. \xax releaxed on luleett‘le lliilie}. the Slim ('iillege lahel tlittl latlltelted Belle attd Seliaxtian on art unxuxpeeting puhlie. 'l‘he reenrd on|_\ hinted at the hand'x potential arid their dehut alhuni li/ur/a'ni'i/ .in \\;l\ l'lau ed hut aeeotnplixhed. like all good dehutx xhnuld. it illuxtrated iuxt what the) eould do with nine. inone} aitd ideax. attd hinted at \\llill “ax to eoine.
'/'/i¢' \i'i'ngu of mm. releaxed thix .luite. ix an e\panxi\e reeord: higget'. harder. \\ ilder aitd hetter tltaii itx predeeexxor. lt [iuxhex all the right einotiniial huttonx: xeratonin. adrenalitte and endnrphiiix ahniiiid. i'illx iut out at une\peeted anglex and \oealx xltoot at _\ou. lniidling and lraeturing iii equal iiieaxure. 'l'itlex like No“ tlte .-\etion ix on l'iit‘e' attd "lo-\x. ’l'o}x. 'l'o}x. ('llUkC. in) x. 'ln_\x. 'lntx' e\prexx the xoiiitd in \xnrdx \\llli ahnoxt onoinatopoeie elarit}.
Bill} ('l_\ro are a rock trio iii tlte tradition til. tlte .latit. the l’oliee. lliixlxet' l)ti aiid .\'ir\ana: guitar. druinx. harinoniex. xueat. energ}. xpaee and emotion. But tltat ix ttot tn xell theni xhort ax comixtx: theirx in art altogether more eunning plan. Hill} (’I} ro'x art liex in xlaittitiiiig togetlter hIoelxx ol xound: rillx. heatx. xquealx. xohx. elankx \\ hate\ er to ereate impatient. une\peeted attd nltett quite heautil'ul inuxieal xut'prixex: ol‘teit alteritatel} gentl} rel‘leethe and thraxhi|_\ lei'oeioux. ()ne xignil‘ieant trait the} earr} on l‘roin the alni'enientioned legendar) lorhearx ix the pop ehorux. Yex. i/m/ ehorux. llairx hrixtle. pupilx dilate thexe xearing ehoruxex. eox'eted h} pop pretenderx tar and \xide. \xhieh are \tell and li\ing a peaeh) e\ixtenee iii Bill) ('l}ro‘x haelx eatalogue. But e\ en xhoehorned ax the} are hemeen iuddering iinixe. tonal xhiltx aitd deal'eitiiig xtillnexx. the} xtill xoiiitd at home.
‘.'\x a three—piece _\ou ha\ e to \Hit'lx harder “fill the d_\itainiex.' xii}x haxxixt .lainex. ‘You‘ll he hit e\poxed it you don't pla} \\ ell. there'x no point \xhere )tttl ean juxt xit haek tor a xoniJ and let otherx lille‘ the xtrain. .-\nd that'x partl} \\h_\ \\e like it.‘
The) ma) laiiglt at the thought ol' heing lahelled ‘the neu .\'ir\ana' hilt gi\en their triunnirate xtatux. parallelx lieiitg dra\\n hetueeit Bill} (‘l)i‘o and the grunge
PIECE LEFT
haxx.
‘AS A THREE- YOU'LL BE EXPOSED IF
YOU DON'T PLAY WELL'
denugndx are ine\itahle and not totall_\ untounded lhe ntoxt nh\inux ix that Sutton \k'tl.\ eioon i‘nai lieaix xnine iexeinlilanee to (‘oliain‘x eroak hut ix tit taet inaiginal|_\ liettei: Hill} (l\t‘o alxo xhare \\|lll \ll'\.tll.i an inxtinetne underxtanding ol inelodie xxxeetnexx and appl_\ ll \\tllltttll heing xaeehat'tne. ellete oi alleeted. lheirx ix a _\outhlul ewheranee nailed to a roek xolid eoinpi'ehenxitin ol rnek d}nannex. lt \xax the \er} thing that helped the Seattle ti‘in ehange the laee ol ntuxie more than ten _\e.irx ago.
l'or now the text nl the \tnrld ean \\.ut tor now Hill} (’l}ro ha\e niot‘e pi‘exxing engageinentx up ( ilaxgou ‘x l-axt land thix ix the e\ e ol their lirxt headlining appearanee at the liarronland. ‘l ha\en't llintight alioiit it too much helnre no\\.' xa_\x .lainex. ‘liut no“ I Iran: I am alixolutel} xltittiiig it. \\ hen \\ e xtarted nut. one ol our .iinliitionx \\ax to pla} King llllix. ()nee \\e did that it \\ax tn get a ieeoid out. then the tiltiiiiate “ax to xupport \Vee/er. \\ ltn are oite nt our laxnurite liandx. and \\ e did that too. I xtill ean't lielte\e that xonieliniex. But non .' lle trailx otl laughing in dixheliel'.
\Vith tltix alhuin aitd their itnniinent l'.tit‘ope;ttl tour. Hill) (‘l_\ro are iil\\lttl|\l} nit the hrink ol' xninething quite xpeeial. Whether it ix .\l'l‘\‘ xaturatioii. enorinodoine lilliiig xiiperxtardotn and the ke}x tn the xtreetx ol Klllltlll'ttttelx. or ininlie giuxt littitlL‘\ll_\ winning their \xa) into the heai'tx ol people \\ho need a little inxpired rnek‘n'i'oll inagie reinainx tn he xeen. laither \xa}. tlte_\'l| eotne up xnielling ol rnxex.
Biffy Clyro, Barrowland, Glasgow, Thu 2 Oct. The Vertigo of Bliss is out now on Beggars Banquet.
We want our MTV
Not coming soon?
Popwatchers are aching and shaking with anticipation. The countdown to the MTV Europe Music Awards has begun. ' i' 4 ‘
: i-.hithights
I Blur Barrowland. Glasgow. 2002 Nov Their return to the live SCiurn minus wee Graham at Reading proved they're still a ferce to be reckoned With. I Stereophonics SECC. Glasgow. 22 8. 23 Nov. SOLD OUT. Welsh rock beheinoths continue world domination through the power of old-school rifts.
I My Morning Jacket King Tut's. Glasgow. 23 Nov Sleepy, hairy. atmospheric, la/y psychedelic country rock troni t nuisvilte. Kentucky.
I Muse Sl—CC, Glasgow. 2:3 Nov. Hardly shy and retiring. Matt Bellanin rock machine 18 a wonderful pompous :;p(—>(:tacle.
I Echo and the Bunnymen Barrowland. Glasgow. 28 Nov. tan McCulloch tiriiigs litS legendary post-punk popsters hack to town.
I David Bowie and The Dandy Warhols SltCC. Glasgow. 28 Nov. SOLD OUT. Blend of dandies. yOung and old. With the Thin White Duke hack on top term With new album Heal/iv. I Radiohead SEJCC. Glasgow. 30 Nov. SOl D OUT; P8.J Arena, Aberdeen. 1 Dec. Up north IS the only chance to catch Thom's wonders. See feature.
I DON'T I!”
I The Strokes SECC. Glasgow. 1 Dec. A spectacular return for Casablancas and pals as they give spanking new album Room on Fire a first airing on Scottish soil. Their first appearance since their memorable headlining slot at Gig on the Green 2002.
I Basement Jaxx Corn Exchange. Edinburgh, 7 Dec. Brixton's dynamic dance duo return. Woo hoo! I The Darkness Corn Exchange. Edinburgh. 9 Dec. See page 16.
I See page 42 for this fortnight's music coverage and all the upcoming gigs in Book Now.
THE LIST 21