The Velvet Hearts: Live Show Review
Are TVH the Best Undiscovered Indie Blues Rock Group in Britain?
Mar 2, 2009
It’s a Monday night in a little backwater town in semi-rural South East England; an unassuming, picturesque kind of place that probably turns all its lights out on the dot of 11pm. Or so it seems.
Not so at Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a little out-of-the-way typical English pub (beams, low ceilings, the works), where the local darlings of blazing blues rock The Velvet Hearts are belting out a dirty, punk fuelled blast of a track, ‘Mary Anne’, to a packed out room teeming with newcomers, old timers, and the band’s very own hugely loyal fans, the Velveteers.
Towering Blues Rock
It’s a sound that is full of contrasts. ‘Mary Anne’ is a pumping, almost metallic affair, softened a little by the gorgeous and towering blues rock vocal combination of compelling guitarist and front man John James Newman and backing singer Jamie Bruce.
Meanwhile the gentle strumming and honeyed Norah Jones style keyboards of the beautiful ‘Soul Sister’ showcase the classy songwriting partnership between Newman and keyboardist / saxophonist Steve Jones (who, incidentally, currently plays with British jazz legend Elkie Brooks). Two extremes vie for attention as the sound the Hearts do best: is it the rock edged blast of tracks like ‘Mary Anne‘ and ‘Talk2Me’ or the gentle acoustic strains of ‘Into the World’? Arguably, it’s both.
Potential James Bond Theme?
The mid-section of ‘Disappearing Boy’, as one Velveteer commented, wouldn’t sound out of place in a James Bond movie (007 production team, take note). Its quartet of sounds, Quest Quinton’s powerful electric guitar, Oliver Richmond-Jones’ frenzied percussion, Lidia Cascarino-Close’s supercool bass and Jones’ perfectly urgent keyboard, vamps up the sound to that Daniel Craig, pointed gun, gold-painted woman level which leaves the senses reeling after the gentle soulful intro.
Despite being squashed into a tiny corner of the packed pub, Newman and Bruce still find the space to go mental for the bigger tracks, both thrashing around with eyes closed like things possessed. Just like Jones does on his numerous saxophone instrumentals, which, although Indie Suite fully admits to a general dislike of the sax for its unfortunate tendency to make everything sound like a cheesy 80s relic, really are pretty darn awesome.
Into the World, and Improvisation Kings
The Hearts’ debut album Into the World is an impressive effort, polished, rich and brimming with melodic power tracks and sublime vocals. But even this pales into the background when compared to the energy, humour and all round brilliance of the band’s live performance.
For example, here at Uncle Tom’s the band are getting thirsty. It’s time to order some drinks, and Newman is off, soon joined by Jones, improvising his way through a gentle, Caribbean Sunday afternoon of a song, like Finlay Quaye bizarrely serenading a tropical bar wench for a pint of England’s finest ale. Indie Suite can’t even remember what they ordered, but who cares, it was totally off the cuff, totally improvised, and the band’s newest Velveteer loved it.
Damon Albarn and Cockney Interludes
A short break and the band are back, slipping into a rye, Blur-like style which first rears its head in the Damon Albarn sounding chorus of ‘So Lonely’, a melodic and upbeat toe tapper. Newman even introduces ‘History Repeating’ as a track about going things going "round and round and round" (a by-the-way reference to Blur’s 'Parklife'? Perhaps…) But it is in the delicious indie pop of live track ‘Dear Jonny’ that the band comes into its own in a whole new way.
This is surely the best Cockney-style street ballad that has been heard for years, with its fun upbeat refrain, jaunty rhythm and seriously addictive lyrics. And then there’s another stroke of brilliance as the chorus, “sing another song that we know”, is drawn out into a chance for anyone and everyone to shout for their favourite song, that, with disconcerting confidence, the band work into the rhythm as if it had always been there: Bare Naked Ladies, Janis Joplin’s ‘Mercedes Benz’, even Wild Cherry’s ‘Play that Funky Music’. Now they're just showing off.
Versatile Blues Rockers
There are myriad influences at work with the Hearts; listen and you will hear little bits of Britpop and big old American rock, slow emotive numbers and a bizarre resemblance to two hit wonders, Rooster. The band have been likened to many major artists, but the comparisons somehow don’t quite touch the mark. It is in their versatility and chameleon-like ability to switch effortlessly between strong sounds that creates a definitive identity. It is a badge the band wears well, complementing and fleshing it out with a precocious knack for their own killer melodies.
Most Popular YouTube Videos
The Hearts are no strangers to high levels of publicity. Their YouTube videos attracted the attention of the national press after clocking up more hits than The Gorillaz and Gwen Stefani at the end of 2007.
With a new album on the way and a number of eagerly anticipated regular dates scheduled at the Centre Stage in Bournemouth, Marlow and across the South, The Velvet Hearts have more than a fighting shot at the title of best undiscovered British band, and are, emphatically, a band to watch in 2009.
The night’s over at Uncle Tom’s Cabin, until next month, when the loyal Velveteers will descend upon the little pub all over again. They know something that the rest of the Home Counties is rapidly learning, this is not a band to be missed.
Related reading
Check out this review of The Velvet Hearts’ album Into the World, coming soon.
Read more about Indie Suite’s other top bands to watch in 2009: Blind Pilot, and Dominic Castillo and the Rock Savants.
Visit The Velvet Hearts' website to download some free tracks.
 |
 |
 |
