| Below are two very different reviews of the same gig. Needless to say, we tend to agree with the latter but it’s always interesting to hear a different opinion…
The Mules live at the Buffalo Bar, Islington with The Yell and Bromheads Jacket, 17/1/2006.
The Yells kick off this highly anticipated Artrocker Annual festival 2006 at the Buffalo Bar in fine style. While not really impressing they lock a frantic pace round a few lyrical gems especially on “Obsession With a Late Night Shopper” which is as throwaway as any current Leeds band you could care to mention. Fun without any pretension, but nothing special either. Perhaps the will to explore the mundane side of life leads to unadventurous climes, like a wet weekend in Bournemouth. Well, you can still enjoy the ice cream right?
There is a distinct difference between being well rehearsed and performing a recital. The Mules haven’t quite coped with that difference. Sure they’re records have that organic jig and that bohemian-esque jam feel. However, as the occasionally strained vocals come from a concerned looking young man behind a drum kit, the staid nature of the piano licks and dour rhythm section become apparent.
It’s all a little serious and not much fun at all. Stop start endings seem all a little bit too clever and frustratingly unnecessary. Me and Dave perk up at the inclusion of aggressive violin noise, seemingly using the oft mentioned screeching cat to provide this attention grabbing audio violence.
The single sees the band hitting their stride, with even a few smiles beaming from the band. They soon stumble back into smarter-than-thou posturing, which is frustrating because their talent is currently being wasted on twaddle instead of tunes.
Almost a Pluto sized leap in terms of audience participation arrives in the shape of top geezers Bromheads Jacket, with some snappy banter about hometowns and a general positive demeanour. Confidently dispensing with recent Artrocker compilation track “Woolley Bridge” straight away, we are introduced to their world of Samsung phones ringing (“HOLD ON!”) and waxed wotsits. Or should I say OUR world. Yes, another group of young men with a beady, eager eye on our urban surroundings, spitting bile at all those irritating modern nuances.
With Monkey-crippling energy, Tim, Jono and Dan bound about the stage, off the stage, almost through the DJ booth and have a whale of a time. With their catchy, yet off beat, two minute wonders they reside in a happy medium between The Jam and The Libertines without straying into the dodgy underbelly of either.
While cheeky chappy Preston explores the depths of celebrity degradation (being duped by a nobody….or several), these ordinary lads are getting fresh with all their flock and the more excitable members of the audience. They are reaching out to all and sundry on their journey around our fair isles and dragging them along, without the need for brass or tacky television exposure.
Catch first release “What, Ifs and Maybes” with its “woo-oo-oooh” chorus call and enjoy them enjoying themselves before the venues get bigger.
Written by Brad Barrett for www.artrocker.com.
The Mules live at the Buffalo Bar, Islington with The Yell and Bromheads Jacket, 17/1/2006.
The opening night of Artrocker's Annual Festival kicks off with 3 cracking bands. The Buffalo Bar is positively sweating with the coolest kids in town. All the way from Sheffield, the kooky, offbeat and 6 strong The Yell launch into a triad of beeps and twanging.
More art-pop than artrock, the singer Dan is like a cross between the Cure's Robert Smith and David Lynch's lead man in Eraserhead. Opening song 'Osmosis' sees the belly rumble of a bass line and the oddly enchanting organ play an aural game of ping pong with the angular guitar and synthesizer of wonder.
And this sets the scene for the next half hour, with songs ranging from obsessions with late night shoppers In 'Obsession With The Late Shop Shopper' and television masts on 'Towers', but it's moments like 'My Baby's Into Witchcraft' that gets the little Indie boy inside my head bopping like its 1995….as there was no physical space to do more than nod and foot tap.
As The Yell leave the stage I decide that to idea of anyone else topping this performance tonight is quite preposterous, however The Mules have other ideas. They attack your ears with sqi-wiff riffs and demonic sea shanties so catchy there should be medical treatment for it.
The singing comes from the drummer and as he crashes his way through a 40 min set they at times sound like the Coral at their most crazy or even Clor in rewind mode. They are disgustingly infectious. Damn them.
Bromheads Jacket are the reason most of the people are crammed in here tonight. The 3 Sheffield lads rip straight into their debut single 'Woolly Bridge' in a way that would bring to mind the Jam at their most ferocious, and there are certain similarities between the Jackets frontman and a young Paul Weller.
The songs are very much short and sharp mod/punk stories about their everyday life; such as people you know just lingering about and not moving on in 'Lesley Parlifitt', going to the carwash on 'P. Salt' and end of the night chicken rolls in St Albans on…errrrm…. 'Chicken Rolls'.
The singer challenges the London crowd to get on it and make some noise and as he leaps into the crowd a fair few people get the mini moshing bug, bounce about and leap on the stage. As they throw themselves about the room you wonder whether these are the "Bigger Boys" fellow Sheffielder's Arctic Monkeys are complaining about in 'Bigger Boys and Stolen Sweethearts'. They could very simply knock the Monkeys back to their mother's womb with a single flick of their left pinky.
At times the lyrics are comical and leave a little bit to be desired, but when they get it right, they get it very right such as the catchy 'What Ifs and Maybes'. In short I'd strongly recommend you try Bromhead's Jacket on for size and see if it fits.
All in all a splendidly fine way to end a marvellous opening night of the soon to be legendary Artrocker festival. (Art)Rock on!!!!!
Written by Lee Puddefoot for www.artrocker.com.
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