Research Analysis
The Research/Piskie Sits/The Ripps, Bar Academy, Birmingham, Tuesday September 27 2005.
The Ripps are from Coventry, and not Wakefield, the importance of which will become evident later, so please take notes. The Ripps might also be an accurate description of the noises the lawnmower must have made as it teared the lead singer's hair unevenly from his cranium, the trio completed by a grinning female drummer (as en vogue in 2005 as girl bassists were briefly in 2003) and a grizzled bloke on guitar who's clearly older (if not wiser) than his art-school type companions. They do a pretty lively cover of their local heroes The Specials' 'Too Much Too Young' plus a selection of their own goofy, additive-popping tunes which are mostly fun, although the over-riding impression is of Supergrass covering their favourite Frank and Walters hits. Lyrics include references to being beatun up by local youths because they have different haircuts, although on tonight's appearance those ruffians might have had a point - Parallax View never condones unsolicited violence but it's definitely a haircut that at the very least merits a bit of playful pushing and shoving.
Piskie Sits are the first of the two Wakefield bands on stage tonight, five big, scruffy lads seemingly determined to add a bit of edge to proceedings, sounding something approximating The Happy Mondays if they'd discovered Eels before they found E. Throw in Pavement, Afghan Whigs and The Walkmen as possible other influences if you will, but don't try applauding their songs while they're arguing amongst each other about what went wrong, because they won't appreciate it. The band will probably be in a better mood after they've reacquainted themselves with sleepin' and showerin' but on the other hand their bristling behaviour seems to add to the ragged glory of their songs.
Fellow Wakefield wonders The Research complete the bill, a tweesome threesome comprising Russell (trucker cap, knitted Elvis tanktop and Casio keyboard); Georgia (imposing brunette in little black number, playing bass) and Sarah (wide-eyed blonde 'ingenue' on drums). Russell talks like he's on drugs, (although it's difficult to know whether this is affected or not), while the girls are prone to giggling at each other's little jokes, in between playing their first single (She's Not Leaving); their last single (C'mon Chameleon); their next single (The Way You Used To Smile) and other songs from their forthcoming debut album (due out February '06, fact fans). They sound like good tunes with a pleasing bittersweet vibe played on cheap instruments, an entertaining end to the evening but possibly just lacking the killer song or stunning climax that normally signposts a headline act of note. So boys and girls, off to the study with you and don't come back until you've produced your masterpiece!
The Research/Piskie Sits/The Ripps, Bar Academy, Birmingham, Tuesday September 27 2005.
The Ripps are from Coventry, and not Wakefield, the importance of which will become evident later, so please take notes. The Ripps might also be an accurate description of the noises the lawnmower must have made as it teared the lead singer's hair unevenly from his cranium, the trio completed by a grinning female drummer (as en vogue in 2005 as girl bassists were briefly in 2003) and a grizzled bloke on guitar who's clearly older (if not wiser) than his art-school type companions. They do a pretty lively cover of their local heroes The Specials' 'Too Much Too Young' plus a selection of their own goofy, additive-popping tunes which are mostly fun, although the over-riding impression is of Supergrass covering their favourite Frank and Walters hits. Lyrics include references to being beatun up by local youths because they have different haircuts, although on tonight's appearance those ruffians might have had a point - Parallax View never condones unsolicited violence but it's definitely a haircut that at the very least merits a bit of playful pushing and shoving.
Piskie Sits are the first of the two Wakefield bands on stage tonight, five big, scruffy lads seemingly determined to add a bit of edge to proceedings, sounding something approximating The Happy Mondays if they'd discovered Eels before they found E. Throw in Pavement, Afghan Whigs and The Walkmen as possible other influences if you will, but don't try applauding their songs while they're arguing amongst each other about what went wrong, because they won't appreciate it. The band will probably be in a better mood after they've reacquainted themselves with sleepin' and showerin' but on the other hand their bristling behaviour seems to add to the ragged glory of their songs.
Fellow Wakefield wonders The Research complete the bill, a tweesome threesome comprising Russell (trucker cap, knitted Elvis tanktop and Casio keyboard); Georgia (imposing brunette in little black number, playing bass) and Sarah (wide-eyed blonde 'ingenue' on drums). Russell talks like he's on drugs, (although it's difficult to know whether this is affected or not), while the girls are prone to giggling at each other's little jokes, in between playing their first single (She's Not Leaving); their last single (C'mon Chameleon); their next single (The Way You Used To Smile) and other songs from their forthcoming debut album (due out February '06, fact fans). They sound like good tunes with a pleasing bittersweet vibe played on cheap instruments, an entertaining end to the evening but possibly just lacking the killer song or stunning climax that normally signposts a headline act of note. So boys and girls, off to the study with you and don't come back until you've produced your masterpiece!
1 Comments:
Hmm. Blogrankers? Is that some kind of weird Japanese fetish site?
Meanwhile Drowned In Sound review the same Research gig. No mention of The Ripps or Piskie Sits, though. And DiS is supposed to be one of the more *comprehensive* indie sites around...
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