As Yeti take to the stage its clear from the welcome afforded by the Sleazy's audience that they are prepared to look favourably on this unknown quantity of a band. Frontman (and Libertines' bassist) John Hassall seems happy enough to let acoustic guitarist & back up singer Harmony Williams say the hellos, and the band launch into "Messenger of Love", a minory strum-along that moves along at a fair clip, with a beat reminiscent of Del Shannon's "Runaway" oddly enough.
In fact it soon becomes clear that Yeti take their cues from a variety of sources. "Working For The Industry", perhaps inspired by Hassall's experiences in The Libs one suspects, has a pub rock, Dr. Feelgood feel to it. "Never Lose Your Sense Of Wonder" on the other hand seems to draw on the same melodic spring that gifted Lee Mavers with "There She Goes", and could very likely have dominated the charts, fifteen years ago.
Herein lies the problem. Yeti blur the borders between dated and timeless. This is exemplified by their next tune "Merry Go Round", another finely crafted piece of jangle pop complete with sweet if not altogether tight harmonies. You could imagine it picking up incessant radio airplay in maybe 1995, or maybe even 1966 (although I couldn't personally vouch for that one), but 2005?
Mind you in the moment this is a fairly minor concern, as Harmony Williams takes lead vocal on The Small Faces soundalike "This Will Be The Last Time That You Go", and you can't help but get caught up in good nature pop-ness of it all. By this stage there's even a loose chant of "Ye-ti Ye-ti" being struck up between songs.
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Yeti come closest to making a truly original sound on "Flesh & Bone", the spiky counterpoint figures of Hassall and lead guitarist Andrew Deian-Jung leading into to a decidedly darker, brooding number. However they pick up the pace again with the frantic ska-tinged "Keep Pushing On" adding something of The Specials into the mix.
All the way through Brendan Kersey on bass & Graham Blacow on drums provide a workmanlike if unspectacular underpinning to the songs, and the band as a whole have built up enough momentum to drive home a fairly generic closing jam entitled "Magpie Blues" and leave the crowd shouting for an encore.
At this point Williams passes his acoustic to Hassall who proceeds to lay down the chords for William's vocal on the utterly odd but very charming "Insect Eating Man". Kind of George Formby meets Syd Barret via Robyn Hitchcock. "No broth just moth" indeed.
So Yeti finally take their leave to more chanting, & everyone seems happy. They might not have the most commercial potential in the current climate, or even a particularly original sound, but any band that can send you home singing the refrain "never lose your sense your sense of wonder even if you lose all else" is surely doing something right.
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