Snakerattlers
-THE PEER HAT, MANCHESTER-
Thee Windom Earles
In the congested, oddly lit confines we all know as the Peer Hat basement, a band that evidently borrows from the 1950s emerges… albeit with a more spirited approach to guitar playing and drumming that probably wouldn’t have existed in that particular timeframe (Who likes pizza?). The alternating vocals (Particularly liked the vocalist who sang first) and the rather ‘stadium in the midst of a sporting event in the US’ sound of the organ (synthesiser? whatever the fuck it is) only adds further taste to the bowl of whatever the present soup of the day happens to be.
The consistently up-tempo numbers, combined with the often humorous themes in songs such as ‘Monkey Face’ earns them much endearment from the growing audience, their debut LP no doubt attracting interest. I think what really shines for them, musicianship aside, is their sense of dynamics; it adds the sense of a disused Tarantino film soundtrack that somehow crash landed into the New Wave appeal (A good thing?).
Bones Shake
In keeping with the residual energy left by TWE, the curiously titled Bones Shake adopt a confrontational school of thought (mic stand victimisation/Usage of a megaphone siren/’let’s scare the audience’); the Peer Hat’s insurance policy has never been a document so coveted. Their lack of a bass guitarist would have no doubt weakened a band of lesser men, however in this case it only adds to the fragmented non compos mentis sensibility that most bands of late can only dream of attaining.
The guitarist emits disembowelling riffs that almost seem to invoke the worship of the likes of Jimmy Page, Tony Iommi and even Steve Jones, all the while the drums act as a rather unsubtle binding agent to the ‘trio’, knowing intuitively where to throw the necessary weight for the defining points in the set. And of course the vocals, a sort of gruff, unrefined Morrison style wherein the lyrics (more profanity than a Joe Pesci script) are bellowed out to the extent that it more than matches the instrumental side in volume. This musical entity is probably the closest I’ve seen to embodying rock and roll in its rawest, provocative form since coming to Manchester last year; check them out if one has the chance.
Snakerattlers
Tonight’s headliners are a 2 piece consisting of a husband and wife (that’s pretty cool) with but a guitar and a simplistic drum kit at their disposal, their stripped-back methodology ideal for the enclosed dwelling that is the Peer Hat.
The way he is able to extort a variety of feelings from his guitar very much dictates the instrumental course; serving the purpose of their songs without overstepping the indulgence mark. Even with the limitations of the kit presented, its utilisation highlights the thought and skill put into its use; for example in one particular number (dedicated to Bones Shake, name escapes me) the drums really compliment the vocal melody, adding to the melancholic musings the song is trying to get across (I presume?).
The lead vocal’s tenor range seems to act as a counterbalance to the darker, more abrasive instrumental side, its harmonising with the backing vocal (secondary vocal in some cases) really showcasing some excellent cooperation; of course the shrieks, wails and frequent incursions into the audience (A friendly acknowledgment of my note taking also occurring) put any preconceptions of serenity into a gentle, euthanasia-induced slumber. Yorkshire: III, Lancashire:?
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Recent career decisions have compelled me into the journalistic... thing; I could list my literary influences or even debate which 3rd rate beverage has the best economic value per litre (But I won’t). Oh, in addition, I write reviews for the Independents Network.
