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Untitled Musical Project / Avida Dollars / Calf by Calf
The Harley, Sheffield
Article
written by Matt H
Oct 30, 2007.
Free gigs with decent bands - that's what it takes to get me inside the Harley, but congrats to them for a decent night that could become a regular. First up Calf By Calf are clearly the product of answering too many "Rhythm Section Wanted" ads placed by ego-ridden guitarists and singers. With just bass and drums, metal-tinged instrumentals are their stock in trade. Remarkably accomplished, they're quite absurdly entertaining. Nice one.
By way of contrast, Avida Dollars look to have all the elements in place (not least a bunch of mates in the audience). But they need Soundsxp hint #237 - don't announce to all and sundry that you've been listening to Sonic Youth and the Fall unless you're confident what follows is seriously better than wandering between sub-Jam and sub-Ramones new wave. It's all a bit flat - any retro charm not helped by the smoke-free, windows-open-to-the-street, safety-lit weirdness of the new millennial venue. We nearly dropped off on the comfy sofa behind the sound desk.
Quality will out though and when Untitled Musical Project are on the venue seems just fine. The mad-eyed screaming punk noise issuing from a trio of otherwise diffident skinny lads is the very essence of old-school hardcore. OK so the recent reference point of Mclusky is an unavoidable comparison, but they always sound like discoverers of the same wellspring rather than copyists - their twin vocals combining to fine effect over the perfectly buried melodies. It's also heartening that when you can make out what they're saying, the novelty titles seem to hide lyrics that eschew easy rebellion in favour of more thoughtful sentiment. Why isn't Paul McCartney Dead Yet? for instance turns out to be something of a tribute to the doe-eyed frog-botherer. Victims of a slightly churlish album review on this very site - they, as predicted, cut a fine dash live and far from irritating, royally entertain.
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