The Moldy Peaches / Mull Historical Society - Oxford Zodiac - 12/6/01
4/5
By: Toby L
Mull H.S. Set-List: 'I Tried', 'Watching Xanadu', 'Instead', 'UK PLC', 'Animal Cannabus', 'Barcode Bypass', 'Mull Historical Society'.
Singer/songwriter/guitarist Colin MacIntyre of Mull Historical Society is an interesting talent. Aside from fronting this hotly tipped Scottish act, he has also managed to write over three hundred songs, yet MHS have yet to release a debut album.
However, speaking of which, 'Loss' is on the horizon. If the live set is anything to go by as an indication of what can be heard on this first release, then it shall be eclectic, tuneful and quirky. Eclectic because it's not often you hear a band that plays both acoustic guitar to the rhythm of a nursery rhyme (heard on 'Mull Historical Society') and makes church bells the key hook in a song (the opening number); tuneful because every track makes its mark, a distinct chorus or instrumental effect allows it to stick in your mind; and quirky because it's a bit surreal at times.
This said starting from the obvious first point: their name. They 'borrowed' it from the local Historical Society in Mull - shockingly enough - and complement its oddity by throwing in onstage projections of sheep and all things from the island, which is just off Scotland. The music, though, is something very different to what's going on as well.
Walking on to a fair audience turn-out for this part of the evening thus far - with the Moldy Peaches still to follow - things kick off with their second single, 'I Tried' - and it doesn't get topped throughout the rest of their set. From its towering chorus and the bellows of 'You won,' over and over, it's a pure feast of delicious ear-candy, the usage of DAT violin-plucks and whirling synths creating an arch of articulate wonderment. That's not to say that the rest of their show is a disappointment - their first single 'Barcode Bypass' and upcoming release 'Animal Cannabus' are storming sieges of sound that elevate into blown out masterpieces - but there are definitely standout moments which make the rest of the set seem tame in comparison. What Mull could do is recognise these and work on them: make these bits better in some form or other by applying some of the added power that they adopt in their stronger material.
Following this, however, are the Moldy Peaches: Kimya Dawson and Adam Green. Guided only by an acoustic guitar and an intent to entertain, their wishes are made real, with the packed audience lapping up the performance. Although perched on seats, the duo are able to still whip up excitement throughout their half hour set, which includes notable run-throughs of 'Anyone Else But You' and the closing 'NYC's Like A Graveyard', where aborted efforts by the crowd to clap are the only let down.
On the surface, when reading the Peaches' lyrics, you could think that they exist for mere gratuity and crudeness in place of any real message, but, in a live setting, it's all put in context. There may be lines such as 'Suckin dick for ecstacy', but the real truth is that these are all made in jest - as proved by the laugh-out-loud stance the audience was bearing this evening. Sadly, you can only look forward to the summer festivals now until they make their next live performances - but the wait will be worth it, because they're bringing a full band over with them, making such anthems as 'Who's Got The Crack' even more noteworthy no doubt.
Overall, a stunning bill - Mull HS will inevitably get even better and more confident with age, whilst the MPs are destined to continue in the stunning form that they've already displayed. The owner of both acts' music on Rough Trade is Geoff Travis; bow down to his feet.
Photo-Credit: Andrew Future
Your Feedback
Login to post your comment