The music project of noise-assault duo That Fucking Tank – and sometimes members of Mucky Sailor, Cowtown and Monty Casino – Nope, manned the opening slot. Only two members of the bunch were playing tonight, we were unsure what to expect, and perhaps, so were they to a certain extent. The first couple of opening songs were their ‘pop’ numbers, for lack of a less generic phrase, with a clearer chorus and verse of loud, balls-deep, guitar-driven rock. The set then diverted, as we mistook what we thought was a drum fill of epic proportions – it actually turned out to be the drawn out beginnings of a freaky, progged-out fifteen minutes of mighty rhythmic psychadelia. It was a relentless, if a little too long-winded finish. Heck, they didn’t even look that sweaty.
The home show of their tour with Shield Your Eyes, Illness played with an assuredness that comes with being on the road. They smashed it, going straight into song after song, playing our particular favourite, ‘Old Song’, with fervour. What seems to set them apart from most drums and guitar outfits is a real sense of melody in their playing; like a stripped down homage to Pavement ‘s lo-fi pop musings. A minimal jazz drumming solo took hold as Spencer replaced a broken string, which then carried on into a hard-hitting rendition of ‘Bedlington Terrier’. The tour with Shield Your Eyes was in aid of their first EP release, ‘Gift From God’, out on Smalltown America Records now.
We can’t lie, we bloody love Shield Your Eyes. They open with ‘Oranges’, a heart-rendingly lo-fi love song of sorts. They’ve achieved an almost cult-like status on DIY touring circuits. Stef has a unique approach to playing guitar and a strung-out, remorseful way of singing and yet the songs are undeniably catchy. This is all accompanied by Henri’s skillfully riotous drumming, and new bassist (they seem to get through these quite frequently), Andy, filling in from That Fucking Tank. They have a raw, melodic charm that some describe as blues meets scuzzy lo-fi rock or something. They’ve released two albums to date, with a new one, ‘Theme From Kindness’ coming out this October, which filters through during their set. The harmonica also makes an appearance from Stef during Come On Melissa, Are You a Kisser in between explosions of riotous noise in what was a grand finale of noise.
Nope, Illness, Shield Your Eyes
Thursday 15th July 2010, The Hydrant
Words by Lydia Stockbridge
www.myspace.com/leavethetapesrunningwww.myspace.com/illnessband
www.myspace.com/nopeleeds
