music mule.co.uk

Last night was the third out of a four show residency by Brooklyn couple She Keeps Bees at the Britannia in Vicky Park all courtesy of those wonderful chaps at The Local. There’s been a steady hype building around the band who have recently quit their day jobs to pursue musical glory full time. I’m just as excited by the prospect of show openers Vadoinmessico and Left With Pictures are a welcome sweetener as if one was needed.

So to Vadoinmessico who kick things off in fine fashion. An international four-piece now based in London and fronted by Italian Giorgio Poti who has a wonderful voice that bears hints of reggae but is far more pop. The songs are lead by Giorgio’s strummed guitar that throws out for the large part repetitive riffs upon which his vocals soar. He’s backed up ably by driving bass lines, a melodica and some campfire style improvised double percussion from main drummer Minh Le and Salvador Garza who handles keys/glocks/melodica/backing vocals/you name it. Alas they are without their banjo player this evening but ‘Teeo’ is a gorgeous track even without it’s finger picking banjo line, Giorgio’s voice rising and falling effortlessly.  Other highlights are ‘In Spain’ and set closer ‘Cave’ but in between the two we get a song sung in what may be Spanish accompanied by some intricate guitar picking from Giorgio and powerful backing vocals. It allows the international flavour of the band to shine through, it’s good to see they’re not trying to hide their roots. These guys could go far. They play Shunt tonight if you can make it.

Left With Pictures as always put on a good show even though the sound wasn’t what it could have been. They would almost have been better off playing one of their completely unplugged sets like the last time I saw them at Shhh Festival. Still quibbles aside they entertain greatly with their overtly English twee folk. ‘Secretly’ and ‘Professional Help’ fitting in snuggly with a newer tune I miss the name of and ‘Her Father’s Nose’, the beautiful b-side to current single ‘Every Stitch, Every Line’.

She Keeps Bees have set up shop in London for the summer where they’ll be launching an assault on the UK music scene including appearances at The Luminaire and Green Man Festival. A blues rock duo with Jessica Larabee on vocals and electric guitar and her man Andy LaPlant on drums. Think a combination of another three male/female duos, The White Stripes, Wildbirds & Peacedrums and The Kills and you won’t be too far off the mark at all. Jessica’s voice is a wondrous thing to behold, deep then high and drenched in blues. Live Jessica is charismatic and Andy’s drumming a steady and assured companion. But with the exception of ‘Pile Up’ and ‘Gimme’ I wonder whether the songs will be as rewarding on record. I suspect they might. To the stereo!

mp3: She Keeps Bees – Gimmie

mp3: Left With Pictures – Secretly

mp3: Vadoinmessico – Cave