Those of you with an ear to the ground and senses finely attuned to the undercurrents in the mantle layer of pop may have noticed a couple of trends developing over the past months. Firstly, there have been a lot of bassists down the jobs office thanks to YYY’s and the like. Secondly – if bands want press they need a prefix, in this respect THE STEVE is on the money. Steve has no bassist or drummer. He has an electric guitar and voice reminiscent of Leonard Cohen, and that’s quite enough thank you very much.
One man super group Chris Summerlin (Reynolds, Wolves of Greece) takes the stage next as LAST OF THE REAL HARD MEN. Having last seen Summerlin with the Wolves supporting Fugazi at Rock City, watching him play in the cosy confines of Junktion 7 was something of a treat. Last of the Real Hard Men is purely instrumental and akin to Music For One in its use of live guitar samples and loops, though without the apparent free-wheeling fugue element. The songs are subtle but substantial affairs, intimate and crafted, shifting from atmospheric canon to busked Americana, underscoring drones and lightfingered overtones. In many respects the perfect prelude for Belfast’s finest, DRAT.
In a reviewer’s Venn diagram Drat occupy that happy space shared with the likes of Grandaddy and (in a gentle,but heavy, sense) the American Analogue Set. They’re from the strong words softly spoken school of pop/rock and in my humble opinion, in these days of rap/metal noise, Drat make it painfully clear that “fuck you” can be a valid sentiment but it’s not a lifestyle option. You need this kind of music. Drat will coax you out of yourself like a shell-shocked puppy. Opener “Put it Down” could see you safely through a divorce. “Sophia Loren” is - perhaps unsurprisingly – also a beauty. Tight Beatle-esque vocals married to loose but thumping double bass in a groove that puts me in mind of Moondog Jr. (now Zita Swoon) at their very best.
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The more urgent songs from Drat’s "Brittle Pale Blue" e.p. come off particularly well tonight, with the telephone mics, Studio Logic and music concrete (dictaphone held to guitar pick-up) adding a sense of Alt. without distracting from the fact these are great songs written by people who know what they’re doing. And tonight they’re scrumping for Pop apples with a slamming cover of "Video Killed the Radio Star." Priceless.
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