REVIEW INDIE/POST» PUNK OPERA EegL VICKERS AND THE
Limbo at The Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh, Thu 9 Apr 0000
It's not at every pre-weekend indie night you wrtness the premiere of a 20-minute post-punk opera performed by a supergroup guartet of men in animal costumes. Yet that's exactly what's on offer in the debut of Itchy Crumb/e. a tale of everyday hereism concerning one man's life- long dream to revolve a lighthouse on the Firth of Forth. With a libretto by former Dawn of the Replicants vocalist Vickers. here clad in a stripy convict‘s jump-suit and lion—hat, married to The Leg's manic garage-band cabaret. the result is both urgent and essential. even it some of the plot 's subtler nuances do get lost in the runaway crunch.
It is vital now that Itchy Crumb/e isn't allowed to disappear. With an inventive young arts producer at the helm, rt c0u|d be developed into something on a par (though not necessarily scale) with The Falls 1988 collaboration wrth dancer Michael Clark in /Am Curious Orange. Bring on the dancing boys and girls and a designer who can bring that lighthouse to life. and Itchy Crumb/e might turn the world upSide down yet. (Neil Cooper)
62 THE LIST 3O Apr—14 May 2009
REVIEW NOISE SPACE: ROCK THE TELESCOPES
Captain’s Rest, Glasgow, Sat 11 Apr 0000
While fellow noisemakers of a similar Vintage such as Kevrn Shields and Jason Pierce can still perform before audiences of hundreds or even thousands two decades on, The Telescopes" Stophen Lawrie remains such an anonymous figure that he can assemble his own stage kit Without attracting comment or recognition from the crowd. Whether or not that's gallrng. the man who essentially is The Telescopes now — and who ()IIJOVCU his most flushed period of success as a member of Creation Records' roster in the early 90s — should be getting a share of retrospective kudos.
For someone whose career was largely based on distortion and racket. he's also a master of the solo acoustic setting. Over six songs. including the bitter ‘The Perfect Needle'. the mantra of 'Silent Water“ and the overtly psychedelic ‘Flying' and ‘Wish of You'. his gravelly but perfectly-tuned voice calls Out the words like incantations. extended periods of Silence replacmg the more customary torrents of feedback. The latter was in evrdence here too. thOugh. c0urtesy of a truly stunning two-song encore wrth Glasgow's St Deluxe acting as backing band. lDavrd Pollock)
www.list.co.uklmusic
THIS ISSUE: IT HUGS BACK
It Hugs Back hail from Kent. and will soon serve Glasgow some of their self- described “soft-centred dream pop'. After touring with artists like Scout Niblett. Monade and The New Pornographers. this tender-hearted foursome wnll now share the bill with Canadian electro-wizzes Holy Fuck. Guitarist and vocalist
Matthew gives The List the lowdown. How did you and your cohorts
i“ . t' .2 .t' ' ‘.I r
What’s been your band‘s best moment to date?
get together?
What do you listen to together - say on the road?
III'II()‘.‘"" TI‘ fa.r:;.':t- r' The ‘..'l" .r."‘:i ate. IV)(:(:T"", ,'
Last record you bought?
The last ward t‘r';‘..‘:tt‘t was trap; ago
What to expect at the Scotland gig?
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REVIEW POI) i l Hliitt)
POLLY SCATTERGOOD Sneaky Pete‘s, Edinburgh. Mon 13 Apr ooo
The wrspy. diminutive Brit School graduate may seem ill suited to the sweaty. underground musk of Sneaky Pete's what wrth her sparkling blue dress. poofed out at the bottom, and her ever so sweet. ever so timid greetings — but behind the microphone. Polly Scattergood turns into a wailing fairytale child confident yet dreamy, passioned yet pure. I xerj, inch the Alice in indieland.
Akin to a Laura Mailing armed wrth the technology of La Roux. she offers; sweet sentiment. yet ultimately delivers bitter accusations. leading With piano but backed by electronic elements when it all Just gets too much. Her inexperience becomes her advantage as electro-pop is delivered wrth the vorce of a more comi)rehensible Biork. wrth 'Other loo Endless' and ‘I Hate the Way' particularly racing examples of feist and attitude mixed ‘NIIII angelic whimsy.
It all combines with a talent bursting to come out. and a voice that's not eaSy to forget. And when you can already end a set with a song as powered and emphatic as 'Nitrogen Pink'. there's always a future. (Thomas Meek)
REVIEW Pl )l ,h
. . . AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD
Oran Mor. Glasgow, Fri 17 Apr
0... And You \‘v’lll Knr rs; | )2 ti, the Iraij
of Dead are one wt those tex.’ .ir " who have established a strong and loyal fanbase ‘.‘."lI.')l )ut the iiraJr int, ot the world's population bein; .t'l‘, the Wiser. Itavrng evaded the stint; ’lI a troubled flirtation .'.’|II) :i may a label. the band emerge IIII‘, epenrrir; independent and a‘, r hemmed «r‘, emr by their cult ()lasgo; Twit/THUR)
I ar'gely rnet ‘.‘.’lII‘ ayarestiiirl stillness and casual head banging frorn tonight's packed crowd. the Iexan collective. in full raging brilliance. Uplfitt through the epic splendour of l) Wau Iher‘e That Saw You'. ‘Ihe Giant". Causeway. and near f
awle'r. renditions of fan favourites like ”Another Morning .‘Stoner', And though the entire set is wrought .‘JIIIl .’l‘)lI)If: energy , embodied in the staggering rock outs of ‘JUCEIIITLI Conrad Keeley the pace and noise picks up .‘.’lII) drurnrner Jason Reece grabbing a mic. leading the charge and Janishing into the crowd for a storming performance of '(Qaterx/aul'. bettered only by the impeccable ‘I‘JII‘IIEIRUS and Regrets. A confident and frenetic performance. lean Dre/en