Summer Camp, Spectrals, Babe Shadow: after you

The Lexington
8 April 2010

I saw Babe Shadow play as a duo in February, supporting Music Go Music, and thought they sounded promising on the basis of a 2 x guitar-and-voice half-band gig, and anticipated a full band set with interest - however any of the subtlety or art I thought I had heard previously was sadly absent from their unimaginative indie pop, where adding bass and drums somehow managed to diminish the creative possibilities, which is an achievement of sorts, I suppose.

Next!

Spectrals offered a fairly literal version of 60's-style surf pop, lightly flavoured with a more contemporary US tang in the slightly drunken wavering on-then-off-key guitar line thing going on. Not bad, if you are reconciled to pseudo 60's tunes in 2010, but definitely missing a trick as they somehow managed to deliver bounce-free tunes - no zip, no zest, no other words starting with z; with little or no variation to the pace of each song it all seemed rather lifeless.

Next!

We like Summer Camp round here, yes we do, but could do without those bright lights shining right in our eyes, thanks. (Hint: YES REALLY. Jeez.) Cracking version of Round The Moon (happyface), but off stage and waiting to do an encore after 20 minutes? Headline show, not a showcase....