Ormondroyd
1-0
Blimey. Potential good band alert. Frankly most of the stuff we get sent is derivative to point where it’s shaving the whiskers off the original, glueing it on itself and pretending it’s its own beard which is understandable when you’re learning to play in a group but it ‘s tedious if it’s the long term plan. There are already plenty of tribute bands already out there, why stop short of the lippy and dressing up? Sorry. Sandman hasn’t had breakfast yet. Anyway, Ormondroyd suffer the same problems as all newish bands but have the potential to transcend their influence through sheer melodic ability. And twat my onions they seem to have a grasp of dynamics and subtlety you which is all too rare. OK, Walking on Water goes directly to Oxford and doesn’t pass go by starting like Radiohead like and finishing like Ride, Fantasise is the The Inspirals done by girls (which is odd because they’re blokes. Fair play) Still is REM and El Potential, (the best track, why put it on last?) has a Nick Cavey chorus. But the tunes are great, strong memorable melodies. Another sandman reckons it’s not very tight but in this instance it doesn’t matter. Thumbs up for the woodwind as well. Now, get the fuck out of the dressing up box and make your own clothes.
 
 
The Invisible Jets
Unusually for an offshoot band, Joe Armitage is also in Lubas, this isn’t bad. Again the influences are pretty apparent - very 60’s in a Charlatans/shaky marraca psysechedelia but thank the lord it isn’t trying to be Oasis. Or maybe it is and is failing in a reasonably graceful manner. Lemontree’s got a great little spiralling guitar groove going on and Easylife might actually see people dancing. The last three tracks fade away a bit, Black2blue is a ballad and too frail to even contemplate crossing the road on its own, River’s got an ace horn section and Starbound is Ok. One thing this demo does which many don’t is make me want to go and see them live. Clever pastiche pastiche possibly but at least it’s clever.
 
 
The Plaines
Live - Sheffield
We got a live demo again! Well, this is well played stuff and vocals sound in tune, and it’s a good recording. But... The music is a little on the weaker side. This guy’s voice, fairly low and gruff, I can only describe as having Dariusisms. ’Hey c’mon, ai ai ai, hu! e-yeahaa.” Nice cello in the first song, ‘A Beautiful Life’ which is quite dark and folky but the rest is lively and ever so slightly cheesy rock and roll with a female backing singer. Not many in the audience then - edit out the gaps guys! It’s Americanised acoustic rock. They really sound like they should be performing on a cruise ship along with Nickelback.
 
 
Lofter
How come one track, Square Peg sounds pretty good, Las type Spanishy guitar with Britpop style shouty chorus and the other, Playground sounds toss, both in audio quality and in terms general alrightness? Wait a minute it’s another one of those live tracks paired with a recorded track to show the diversity of the band - they can play live AND in the studio! Very much a band of two halfs here, Gary. On the strength of the first track we reckon there’s something promising here if not yet fully formed and even the live track has got some energy behind it and , thankfully, the guitarist steers clear of ridiculous solos which would kill of the dynamics of what sounds like a reasonably tight, rhythm band. I’m guessing they’ve listened to a bit of the Small Faces somewhere along the line and it hasn’t done them any harm but they might also have been locked in a room witht the second Stone Roses albums with the bits where they get ‘funky’ for a bit too long.
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Blue Scandal
If you can’t say anything kind then say nothing at all. Right then, this’ll have to be a pretty short review. Good points: Adhesive Heart has a guitar bit which sounds a little bit like Kraftwerk’s The Model and we don’t think they’ve been together that long so they can only get better. On the down side it is horrible, whinging soft rock recorded in a cardboard box. There are 5 tracks here and each is as miserable as the one preceding it. It is seriously self indulgent, the equivalent of having a good weep but not the sort of thing you should inflict on others. Take it out of the bedroom and give it another go, lads. The best part of this one is the silence when it ends.