Slow Club
– GORILLA, MANCHESTER –
Slow Club are one of those bands that slowly (pardon the pun) but surely generate a loyal fan base throughout their music career. The multi-instrumentalist duo, Charles Watson and Rebecca Taylor originate from Sheffield and have been around since 2006 with three albums under their belt. In fact, their latest offering, Complete Surrender is out today (14 July 2014).
The venue for the night is Gorilla, a place that I have quite surprisingly not caught a gig at. Slow Club plays a total of 16 songs across their discography and are backed by two musicians on the drums and the bass. The band’s music is a blend of soul, folk and pop – sometimes all at once and sometimes discrete between songs.
One thing I notice is that Slow Club’s songs may not necessarily be brilliant tracks as a whole, meaning that certain songs have parts that truly stand out but it isn’t often that the entire track is outstanding. Besides that, particular tracks have a pop flavour whereas others are soulful and then again some are folkish. The inconsistency between what the band is going for in their songs may be a reflection of experimenting and searching for a Slow Club sound throughout their evolution from album to album. That being said, some of my favourites from the night include ‘Everything Is New’ (energetic and sweet), ‘Suffering You, Suffering Me’ (soulful and upbeat), ‘Dependable People and Things I’m Sure Of” (great lyrics) and ‘Two Cousins’ (catchy beat). But the gem for me is definitely “The Pieces”, an incredibly fun tune that got everyone moving and shuffling around the music hall.
An interesting feature of Slow Club’s performance is that Watson and Taylor are given the opportunity to take the stage solo, often armed with only an instrument to accompany their fantastic vocals. For instance, Taylor sings ‘Not Mine To Love’, whom she describes amusingly as a “depressing song about her life”, a theme that she reiterates throughout the gig. With the soft plucking of her guitar, Taylor’s exceptional tone carries the song solidly. Likewise, Watson’s song of choice is ‘Paraguay and Panama’, a sensitive melody that really brings out his wonderful voice. As great apart, so it is together when both of them sing in “Hackney Marsh”.
Overall, it was an enjoyable gig by the duo. The audience interaction was incredible, especially by Taylor, who was endearing and amusing at the same time. It becomes obvious to me that Slow Club’s sound is difficult to put a finger on, but that may very well be what has garnered them a faithful following all these years.
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Amanda is in a committed, lifelong relationship with indie electronic music. Plays the cello and guitar, and plans to sing once she's mustered enough courage. She's a Malaysian who's found her home in Manchester. Currently reading law at the University of Manchester.
