February 6th
HMV’s Next Big Thing
Reviewed by Katie Stanton
Red Kite is the resurrected outlet for former Cooper Temper Clause guitarist, Daniel Fisher. Their sound is the sort of classic rock to soundtrack long walks along the beach and pensive moments looking out at the ocean. Tonight, there are five people onstage , including a female bassist (Laura Hegarty) who spends the majority of the set looking sultry and/or bored. When lead singer Fisher allows, Laura steps up and contributes some refreshingly sweet vocals, but those moments are too far and few between. Fisher’s experience in CTC shows he knows how to write a good song, with subtle pop infusions and emotive riffs. However, it is Hegarty’s vocals that really make the stand-out tracks and the band need to expand on that.
Nothing compares to effortless cool on a cold night in the Camden Barfly. It is minus temperatures outside, yet TOY arrive onstage all long-haired, apathetic to the cold and ironically, cool as fuck. TOY are another resurrection, with three members originally from Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong. You would never have guessed this however, as TOY’s sound is fuzzier, less poppy yet far more irresistible. Their whole set boasts a Talking Heads nostalgia that makes me want to attend an 80s prom, get rejected, then come home and cry so I can listen to this band to make myself feel better. Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong achieved some level of notoriety, but disbanded in 2009. A subtle reshuffle and a deeper, meaningful sound could be exactly what they needed to achieve full-blown success.
You can download Toy’s new single Left Myself Behind and Clock Chime for free.
And So She Thinks 