Young Loves

Analog Bombs Go Bang on a Friday Night in Clayton More

Live Review Mermaid's Flannel

Written By Michael Wood Saturday, July 18th, 2009

Black Feathered Feet, Analog Bombs and Young Loves. Mermaid's Flannel at Fiddler's Three, Bradford

"Its rocking on The Fiddlers on a Friday night" the singer shouts.

Black Feathered Feet are pub rock pure n' simple and very simple they are too wailing between verses and noodling on guitars. It is rough and ready rock but that is no bad thing on a Friday night in a suburban pub a stones throw from the suburban house this writer grew up in Clayton - a typical suburb of Bradford.

The criterion for gigs in walking distance aside Black Feathered Feet do growling Chris Cornell style rock decently and are worth your attention if that is your bag. If it isn't your bag then take a look just to see how much the drummer looks like the one from Lost who was also a Hobbit.

Not at all like a Hobbit is Ben of Analog Bombs. Standing at least seven foot tall - perhaps - he is as striking as he is charming fronting the band with a warm, rambling presence. "Good evening we're the Analog Bombs", he says "We've had a drink."

Analog Bombs mix musical styles but are mostly indie ska - if such a genre exists, perhaps they just look indie and play ska - and are a a blast. Ben's lyrics are based in being a local of Bradford - in parts at least - and at times can be touching and have a ring of truth. His delivery is rare and enjoyable. He rapidly fires Yorkshireisms spinning the odd tale of being unlucky in love around the Wool City.

Charming, enjoyable, and probably the best band you will see on a Friday night in Clayton. Hancock - the song about long flattened club Tumblers - is worth the admission alone. It is indie disco as tragic love affair and nudges the Analog Bombs past The Pigeon Detectives Test as in "Why is one more popular than the other?"

Young Loves

Young Loves

Young Loves come on with an "hilarious" joke about knife crime and an opening number that sounds a bit too The Libertines for its own good.

As a band they are well regarded and five minutes into their set the five yards in front of the pub corner dubbed a stage is peopled with young things dancing but something about the band seems as like it has been seen before.

Perhaps it is the contrast to the innovate Analog Bombs or perhaps it is the fact that Young Loves come behind the likes of White Light Parade and The Swing Movement in Bradford's canon of bands making this kind of sound. Indeed they lack the drive of the former and the spark of the latter.

The kids love them though and they finish the night well.

The night - Mermaid's Flannel Presents - deserves applause too for the attempt to put on good music for the drinking crowd. More power to them.

    • Love at the Bottom of the Sea by The Magnetic Fields
    • Love Ire & Song by Frank Turner
    • Valentina by The Wedding Present
    • Workers Playtime by Billy Bragg
    • Black Sheep Boy by Okkervil River
    • Torino by Cinerama
    • Illinoise by Sufjan Stevens
    • I Am Very Far by Okkervil River
    • Talking With The Taxman About Poetry by Billy Bragg
    • An Argument With Myself by Jens Lekman
    • Blunderbuss by Jack White
    • Vs. by Pearl Jam
    • A+E by Graham Coxon
    • The Best Of The Velvet Underground by The Velvet Underground
    • Talkie Walkie by Air
    • Life of Leisure by Washed Out
    • Original Pirate Material by The Streets
    • Fever To Tell by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
    • Greatest Hits by The Cars
    • Dream Sequence by Tangerine Dream
    • Flight of the Conchords by Flight of the Conchords
    • Little Death by Pete and the Pirates
    • Arecibo EP by Little Boots
    • Wolves and Thieves by Goldheart Assembly
    • Crystal Castles ( II ) by Crystal Castles
    • The Holy Bible by Manic Street Preachers
    • I Speak Because I Can by Laura Marling
    • Remain in Light by Talking Heads
    • Funeral by Arcade Fire
    • Clap Your Hands Say Yeah by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
    • The Suburbs by Arcade Fire
    • Hail to the Thief by Radiohead
    • Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (Dawn to Dusk) by The Smashing Pumpkins
    • Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness Disc 2 by Smashing Pumpkins
    • The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads by Talking Heads
    • GOLD AGAINST THE SOUL by Manic Street Preachers
    • Daydream Nation by Sonic Youth
    • Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots by The Flaming Lips
    • The Beatles [White Album] by The Beatles
    • In Utero by Nirvana
    • Born To Die - Deluxe Edition by Lana Del Rey
    • Slow Dazzle by John Cale
    • Teen Dream by Beach House
    • Happiness by Hurts
    • We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves by John Maus
    • American V: A Hundred Highways by Johnny Cash
    • Bloom by Beach House
    • Treme: Music From The HBO Original Series, Season 1 by Various Artists
    • Phrazes For The Young by Julian Casablancas
    • Beautiful Freak by Eels
    • The Suburbs by Arcade Fire
    • Electro-Shock Blues by Eels
    • Antics by Interpol