The Sunshine Underground - 53 Degrees, Preston
Fans of The Sunshine Underground are anything if not loyal.
In the four years which have passed since the release of their debut album, Raise The Alarm, their dance/indie hybrid (call it what you will) has been overshadowed by the numerous new musical movements and inescapable fads that the music press so regularly bombard us with.
To their credit, the band have stayed true to their original ethos with their long-awaited second LP, Nobody’s Coming To Save You: it is guitar ridden, upbeat and largely dance floor orientated, with hooks that catch you (almost always) instantly, and has a live sound to match.
Regrettably with such music comes a slight football terrace mentality at their gigs, and this date on the current tour is no exception, with a male minority swaying and chanting as they embrace each other throughout. Fortunately, there is a clear segregation within the modestly sized club venue which seems to keep everyone in the good spirit needed tonight.
The four piece make a subtle and belated appearance on stage, commencing with the new L.P.’s opening track, ‘Coming To Save You’. It is everything devotees could hope to hear. A gradual (albeit simplistic) layering of sounds quickly kicks in: firstly guitars, then drums and bass, before Craig Wellington’s emphasised vocals build up to an anthemically sang chorus.
Despite a warm reception to their rejuvenated return, they quickly revert back to tried and tested material, with ‘Wake Up’ seamlessly continuing the lively atmosphere they have so far provoked.
Much like the sound of their opener, ‘We’ve Always Been Your Friends’ feels very much like a long lost acquaintance. It instantly evokes a feeling of familiarly within its opening moments despite only being in its infancy as part of their live sets. Once more, Wellington’s lyrics appear to be aimed directly at the crowd before them, and the wide eyed faces at the front appreciatively repeat them back to the band in unison.
‘Commercial Breakdown’ - a set closer of years gone by - receives an early rendition. It still packs the desired punch but on reflection it doesn’t deserve the place it once had it on the band’s set list. With the new material on offer tonight, and the time which has passed since its initial airings, it feels slightly dated, and thankfully the band acknowledge this.
The new album has only had a week to embed itself into the minds of its listeners, so understandably many of the tracks further along the running order are met with only moderate response. Pint refills and toilet breaks inevitably ensue during such moments, but several sharp tracks, such as ‘A Warning Sign’, effortlessly cut through these periods of momentary disinterest.
With the band being a dab hand at a catchy chorus, it was only a matter of time before a cliché sing-a-long with arms raised took place. This honour was bestowed to ‘Borders’, with four hundred voices singing together in not-so-perfect harmony. Cynicism aside, this was actually quite a meaningful moment in intimate surroundings, and an illustration of the their talents on stage.
‘The Messiah’ draws things to a close in a surprisingly slow and single paced manner, which is disappointingly anti-climatic after the generally impressive hour before it. Favourably, the encore of ‘Put You In Your Place’ makes up for this slight misjudgement, and any restlessness or despondence amongst the TSU faithful is remedied during a three minute summary of why they fell in love with the band in the first place.
In the four years which have passed since the release of their debut album, Raise The Alarm, their dance/indie hybrid (call it what you will) has been overshadowed by the numerous new musical movements and inescapable fads that the music press so regularly bombard us with.
To their credit, the band have stayed true to their original ethos with their long-awaited second LP, Nobody’s Coming To Save You: it is guitar ridden, upbeat and largely dance floor orientated, with hooks that catch you (almost always) instantly, and has a live sound to match.
Regrettably with such music comes a slight football terrace mentality at their gigs, and this date on the current tour is no exception, with a male minority swaying and chanting as they embrace each other throughout. Fortunately, there is a clear segregation within the modestly sized club venue which seems to keep everyone in the good spirit needed tonight.
The four piece make a subtle and belated appearance on stage, commencing with the new L.P.’s opening track, ‘Coming To Save You’. It is everything devotees could hope to hear. A gradual (albeit simplistic) layering of sounds quickly kicks in: firstly guitars, then drums and bass, before Craig Wellington’s emphasised vocals build up to an anthemically sang chorus.
Despite a warm reception to their rejuvenated return, they quickly revert back to tried and tested material, with ‘Wake Up’ seamlessly continuing the lively atmosphere they have so far provoked.
Much like the sound of their opener, ‘We’ve Always Been Your Friends’ feels very much like a long lost acquaintance. It instantly evokes a feeling of familiarly within its opening moments despite only being in its infancy as part of their live sets. Once more, Wellington’s lyrics appear to be aimed directly at the crowd before them, and the wide eyed faces at the front appreciatively repeat them back to the band in unison.
‘Commercial Breakdown’ - a set closer of years gone by - receives an early rendition. It still packs the desired punch but on reflection it doesn’t deserve the place it once had it on the band’s set list. With the new material on offer tonight, and the time which has passed since its initial airings, it feels slightly dated, and thankfully the band acknowledge this.
The new album has only had a week to embed itself into the minds of its listeners, so understandably many of the tracks further along the running order are met with only moderate response. Pint refills and toilet breaks inevitably ensue during such moments, but several sharp tracks, such as ‘A Warning Sign’, effortlessly cut through these periods of momentary disinterest.
With the band being a dab hand at a catchy chorus, it was only a matter of time before a cliché sing-a-long with arms raised took place. This honour was bestowed to ‘Borders’, with four hundred voices singing together in not-so-perfect harmony. Cynicism aside, this was actually quite a meaningful moment in intimate surroundings, and an illustration of the their talents on stage.
‘The Messiah’ draws things to a close in a surprisingly slow and single paced manner, which is disappointingly anti-climatic after the generally impressive hour before it. Favourably, the encore of ‘Put You In Your Place’ makes up for this slight misjudgement, and any restlessness or despondence amongst the TSU faithful is remedied during a three minute summary of why they fell in love with the band in the first place.
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