Grammatics The Lexington, London 12/3/10
3/5
By: Charlie Bradford
When a band walks on stage and launches straight into their first song without so much as even a nod to the audience, I’m never sure whether I feel marginally insulted (the audience are the fans, without them the show would be…well, a rehearsal?) or whether I should allow that the band are just so focused on the music and wanting to put on the best show they can, that banal niceties such as ‘hello’ are simply an interruption to their creative flow. I think after watching an entire focused and quite introspective Grammatics set I’m inclined to settle for the latter, in this case.
Grammatics’ first song 'Stalin' is a forceful number, teeming with attitude, the bass is loud and assertive, almost drowning out the vocals of a lab coated lead singer, Owen Brinley. Hailing from Leeds, Grammatics have one instant USP – the use of a cello in their songs - a deep and powerful instrument adds a classical string to their bow (yep!) and providing second song 'Double Negative' (and indeed many tracks) a slight sense of welcome unease.
'Shadow Committee' is a slow starter, the echoing strings, cymbals and guitar riffs resonating round The Lexington before a beat count by the drummer signals the song to go up a gear, the music swells accordingly becoming a catchy number cut into by the distinctive clicks of a cow bell. Its following few numbers demonstrate the carefully honed style Grammatics have spent their few years on the scene perfecting - a kind of tortured and sombre affair which just misses the realms of (early) Radiohead-like depression by adding a hint of Bloc Party, Late of The Pier and similar electronic maestros.
'D.I.L.E.M.M.A', is a very apt example of this interlocking, bringing a Foals-esque sound that’s dancier, with twinkly keys to give it pace without losing a very Grammatic undertone, holding onto that darker soul that seems to run through all of their songs. Ending on a new number sees the bass being abandoned in favour of a triangle and synth.
Throughout a powerful if not stunning set, complex sounds bubble with attitude while the deep notes of the cello add a melancholy under current. Grammatics are threatening to develop a signature style whilst overcoming a multitude of line up changes – ones which they admit come about from their own fondness for arguing. They are the kind of band that many would miss - their eponymous debut album hardly set the world alight, but let's hope after last year's tour with Bloc Party and this recent headline tour things will pick up for a band certainly worthy of a chin scratch or two.
Artists in this article: Grammatics
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