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Ö÷²¥´óÐã INTRODUCING AND 6 MUSIC AT MAIDA VALE
Post categories: 6 Music,ÌýÖ÷²¥´óÐã Introducing,ÌýFresh on The Net
| 13:09 UK time, Friday, 30 April 2010
Some of us remember 1994 as a landmark year in British pop music with albums like Parklife, Definitely Maybe, His'n'hers and Dog Man Star - but Graeme Martin doesn't. He was only a year old when all those records came out - and is currently revising for his 'A'levels. He's also the gifted rhythm guitarist with Newcastle's Let's Buy Happiness, one of four bands who took part in 6 Music's Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing night at Maida Vale studios last night, co-hosted by Steve Lamacq and myself.
Actually the most gobsmacking thing about is not how young they are individually, but the deliciously uplifting sound they make together. The velvet vocals of 20 year old Sarah Hall and soaring guitar of her kid brother James (18) seem effortless and elemental. Before seeing them live I'd simply been struck by the quality of their songwriting and production on their MySpace page. But live last night in front of an audience of 6 Music listeners, their warm sonic soundscapes wrapped themselves around the entire room.
I found myself grinning uncontrollably through pretty much all of the music we heard at Maida Vale yesterday. I've watched the entry level standard of musicianship rise steadily with every new generation of players since punk, above all among young drummers. For me this is the single biggest difference between my own early ventures in the music business and bands we routinely hear every week now on Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing.
Back in the seventies, a British drummer who could actually play smack bang in time was a rare and highly paid treasure. Last night at Maida Vale there were four in the same room. For instance what really turns 's twin-guitar-fronted attack into an unstoppable elemental force is the power and economy of 's drumming, unobtrusively turbocharging the songs without a hint of egotism or look-at-me flashiness. All four musicians have cut their teeth in other bands, Lammo murmured to me mid-set, and finally come together and got it right in this one. Stylish and assured, no wonder they're special guests on 's major UK tour next month.
The advice section of our 6 Music Introducing webpage features Steve explaining what kind of music has the most impact when he's listening through to a stack of demos. "I like bands who sound really urgent," he says "like they need to do it. They're quite fidgety - it's almost uncomfortable, with that sense of 'I have to get in, I must make this record, otherwise I will explode.'" You couldn't ask for a better description of Hull's , who gave the unmistakeable impression of being on the brink of some collective apopolectic seizure - as you'll see for yourself in the video footage of their set. Four normal looking, normally dressed young men - certainly by indie standards - they became suddenly and demonically possessed from the opening chord of their set.
Seventies nostalgists have mythologised how great and were - on the basis of highly selective memories of their finest moments. Three decades and countless imitators later, the edgy unpredictability and deceptively catchy songwriting of punk is channelled yet again by The Neat, with this crucial difference. These guys can really, seriously play - with complete control of their instruments. drummer , who's signed them to his label looked on with paternal pride.
And so to . It's one thing to record an album as fresh, inventive and densely written as last year's , but quite another to perform it live as a four piece band. Most artists in this position resort to backing tracks, loop pedals or additional personnel, but Post War Years have come up with an elegant and unique solution. They slice up every additional instrument, sound effect and sonic texture into individual fragments - then play every note live with dazzling precision on the rubber buttons of a vintage sampler. They stormed through a performance of ferocious musicianship, precision singing and overwhelming energy, swapping guitars, samplers, miniature keyboards and basses - often mid number - almost indiscriminately.
Once again the whole thing was nailed down by virtuoso drumming from , but all four of the band have serious chops. For musicians of my generation this kind of proficiency usually involved much grimacing, endless soloing and taking itself very, very seriously. Simon, Henry, Tom and Fred make astonishing and joyful music with easy charm and good humour. Looking round at the end of their set, the big silly grin on my face was shared by almost everyone else in the room.
Catch highlights from last night's event on my suppertime show tonight between 8-9pm on 6 Music, plus extended coverage from the whole of Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing Week on 6 Music in a special edition of Fresh On The Net on Monday May 10th between 1-3am. For photos and video footage of the individual performances follow the links from bbc.co.uk/introducing
