Sugardrum
+ Nun Of The Above @
The Grey Horse, Kingston, Surrey,
29 January 2005
Published:
SoundsXP,
February 2005
Original
article:
http://www.soundsxp.com/1538.shtml
Wupadupa
is a diverse collective of miscellaneous bands and tonight
they have arranged a get-together in the backroom of a Kingston
boozer to raise some money for the Tsunami relief effort.
And if music and a worthy cause still aren't enough there
is also the promise of free cake to entice people into the
intimate, dimly-lit den.
Only
half of sextet Nun Of The Above turn up,
perhaps due to the tiny, unaccommodating stage or maybe
just to escape the acid-tongue of their singer for the night.
The most miserably dry frontman you will ever encounter
sits uncomfortably at centre-stage as his mumbled jibes
are directed at the soundman and fellow bandmates but, thankfully,
the music soon makes up for the perfect-haired pouter's
put-downs. Many bands take a leaf out of Radiohead's book
of tortured, experimental abstraction but allow their obsession
mould them into mere watered-down versions of their idols,
not so Nun Of The Above, the vocals taking Thom Yorke's
undecipherable wailing and exaggerating it to an almost
frightening extent. This may sound awful in theory and at
times it is, but at others it proves to be captivatingly
emotive.
Add
to this the rich backing of acoustic and electric guitars
and some heart-warming cello playing and you have a memorable,
sweetly melancholic performance, which is strengthened further
by the sort of magical instrumental tangents beloved of
Badly Drawn Boy. They may just have the right combination
of passion and professionalism to succeed so if you don't
have any plans tonight (February 2nd) you could do worse
than getting down to the Garage to see them play upstairs
at full-strength…just let me know if the singer manages
to raise a smile.
Sugardrum
take the Wupadupa community spirit to heart, borrowing a
cellist and mandolin player from two other bands to compliment
the drums and guitar before reverting to a two-piece. This
is a shame as the hired hands add a depth and warmth to
an otherwise stripped-back set. Lyrically it's weird and
wonderful, with tales of aliens and other things lurking
at the bottom of the garden and motorway day-dreaming but
it's all a little too earnest. The words seem to splay awkwardly
over the backing creating a relatively unfocussed, loose-limbed
sound. Musically though the lead singer, Nigel, manages
to impress with some vibrant, folk-edged melodies accompanied
by Nick the drummer's offbeat percussion played solely with
brushes. This works perfectly during the quieter numbers
but at other moments you wish he would get some proper drumsticks
and thrash out a pattern that is as lively as the music
flowing over the top.
At the
end of the set Nigel sits down on the edge of the stage,
eyeball to eyeball with his audience, and announces he is
going to treat us to a cover. Just when you fear a rendition
of 'Puff The Magic Dragon' is due he breaks into an excellent,
heart-rending unplugged version of The Smiths' 'There Is
A Light That Never Goes Out' and all of the loose lyrics
and lethargic drumming that went before are forgiven. Enough
to make grown men weep.
Overall,
not bad for a night down the pub!
- Ian Roullier, 01/2005 |