GIG REVIEW: Lusts, FEWS & Whistlejacket @ Barfly, 01/03/2016

For some strange reason, tonight’s rather enjoyable line-up of Whistlejacket, FEWS and Lusts feels like a battle of the bands event. I have to remind myself several times that inter-band rivalry and playful competition died when Palma Violets were fellated by alleged rock and rollers. An unstoppable flow of deference pours forth from the stage as band members thank Radio X for performing their civic duty and introducing them to the underside of a rock. Undue politeness aside, an energetic audience is treated to colourful displays of musicianship, outrageously awful showmanship and horizon-straddling choruses.

Fans of Sunflower Bean and watery-eyed pixies will tremble at Whistlejacket’s sonic recipe. Both have and will unite disparate indie tribes with their satisfying blend of summery atmospherics and light gravel. Whistlejacket’s impressive extended jams are the only feature separating them from total mimicry, but a lack of originality doesn’t hurt Lusts, one of the most exciting guitar acts around. They have hooks pouring from their cleavage so expect to hear something positive from them soon.

The less said about FEWS the better. Nevertheless, I can’t help myself. If there is any justice in this world, which there isn’t, they should be treated in the same way One Night Only, Hoobastank and Starsailor are now: with contempt. But they won’t. Instead, they’ll be lauded and assigned a new indie kingdom over which they will gloat. Republicanism has never been popular in this country but it’s needed now more than ever to save eardrums everywhere. They elicit maniacally undeserved fountains of hysteria from the first three rows of Radio X moles paid to look like they’re having a good time. A touch of Interpol here and a smidge of The Horrors there can’t save them. The frontman runs around like he’s trying to escape a giant enema. ‘Come on guys, let’s get fucking… WEIRD!’ he splutters, but not even a Katy Perry orchestrated satanic ritual could redeem their hollow showmanship. Some tedious ‘banter’ follows about days of the week, distracting us momentarily from their post-punk by numbers that’s done much better by less detestable bands.

Brotherly duo Lusts are now supremely confident, as they have every right to be. John Kennedy of Radio X fame not so much sings as bellows their praises before ushering them on. On sumptuous 2015 debut Illuminations they wrenched eighties indie from its casket and forced it to do their bidding. Andrew gambols about like a lag who’s just been released after thirty-five years in prison, and James bangs the drums like a West Ham fan who’s just spotted the Chairman of Millwall Supporters’ Club down the high street. As joyous as their sound is, their limitations are exposed tonight. Every song on Illuminations bears heaven-throttling melodies that arrest every bone and sense, but because added instrumentation emanates from various gadgetry it doesn’t carry the same force as it would do from live playing, no matter how much you’d like to say otherwise.

That doesn’t mean they’re disappointing. Latest single ‘Sometimes’, ‘Careless’ and ‘The Chair’, topped with liberal helpings of Echo and the Bunnymen and New Order, are impeccable. The ‘oh-ay’ refrain in ‘Waves’ is as soul-stirring as ever. The title track is the one song that improves markedly when played live: it sounds pedestrian next to its Cocteau Twins on E-numbers compatriots, but tonight it’s as graceful as a moonlit ballet. Grand closer ‘Temptation’ is a lesson in song-writing for tonight’s support.

Tonight’s setlist is almost entirely composed of tracks from Illuminations, which begs the question what will they come out with next? ‘Bad Weekend’ is criminally omitted, but its inclusion wouldn’t have diverted from their 80’s-indebted indie template. Will they take Drenge’s route, add another member and beef up their live pedigree, or keep matters familial? Whatever they do they’re the band to watch at the moment, and alongside a few others, have made guitars exciting again.