Eight Legs - London Old Blue Last, October 14th 2009 [Live]

With Sketches and Will Can Sing

October 17, 2009, 01:55 PM

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Can anything good come out of a collision between The Smiths and Blur? And what happens if you throw some good old punk in the mix? You wouldn’t think that young indie pop act Eight Legs would hold the answer to these questions, and you surely wouldn’t expect to find such answers upstairs at the small Old Blue Last in London Shoreditch.

All I’ve heard from Eight Legs is their recent single ‘I Understand’ / ’Stay Cool,’ which are refreshing, sparkling, indie pop tunes with the four piece introducing themselves on the cover in full animal costumes. What I see tonight is a happy mob of four next door lads, with a visible enthusiasm for music and all its infinite colours.

‘Just So You Know’ and ‘These Grey Days’ give their show an Smith-esque indie start, and even Sam Jolly’s voice has a Morrissey feel to it. Time for single B-side ‘Stay Cool,’ and we’re catapulted somewhere between Blur, the Hives and vintage UK Indie. Next is ‘Cloak & Dagger,’ followed by single ‘I Understand’ with its catchy hooks and choruses to sing along to. I’m totally in love with this single, and if you haven’t heard it you need to open MySpace right at this page EIGHT LEGS on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Downloads. Surprises are not over yet: with ‘Wear That Shirt’ Eight Legs turn punk, and I’m not talking the Blink 182 / Sum 41 stereotype here. They’re not the Damned either, but it’s definitely a good, fast, enjoyable piece. ‘Dystopian Not So Future’ is again different, mellow and slightly darker than everything I’ve heard so far. ‘Best Of Me’ could have been on a Libertines album, and it would have been undoubtedly chosen as a single.

They close with ‘Kool Aid’ leaving you wanting more, prompting me to ask their helpful PR how long I will have to wait for their album to come out: 2010. Can I wait that long? I may try to get hold of their old work in the meanwhile. These guys have apparently been around since 2004 and the album I’m so eagerly waiting for is their second. How have they gone so far unnoticed? It may be time talent scouts get their eyes off the box when Big Brother’s on and go back to traditional live music...

And talking of young talent, a few words about the support bands: I got in right on time to catch the last bit of Will Can Sing, formerly known as The Ryes. I’ve heard they were recently signed by US Indie label Upper 11 Records, well done to them, and, judging from the two tracks I’ve heard (especially last one ‘Jennifer’), well deserved. Fresh, feel good indie pop that gets my vote!

Next were Sketches, playing a darker shade of indie; musically they’re not bad, a bit weird as stage presence goes though, with their instrument held high on their chest and some kind of scatty moves. You might like it or hate it, I appreciated the music better when I was looking away.

I sit at the bar for a drink and a chat with Eight Legs’ PR at the end of the night. She recalls receiving a sample with the band’s first requests for her services, and being impressed by the fact that not one song sounded like the other, although they managed to keep a very clear personality all the way through, which is exactly what I had been thinking during their show tonight. Let’s raise a glass to fantasy and personality, because it’s from their union that art is born.

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