Goldheart Assembly Archive

Goldheart Assembly roughing around England, being sharpened to a shine More

Written By Michael Wood Saturday, June 6th, 2009

Goldheart Assembly at The Live Lounge, Blackburn

Each member of five piece Goldheart Assembly look as if they have dropped out of being the coolest dressed man of a specific time period other than a quiet Saturday night in Blackburn. They sound out of time too too mixing a bit of pure pop with some Seventies Americana but this is Lancashire on a weekend night, Oasis are playing in a massive field twenty minutes down the road and the audience at the excellent newly opened Live Lounge is sparse.

Goldheart Assembly are "London's Fleet Foxes" of course because anyone who strums an acoustic is the Fleet Foxes of somewhere but the band wear the comparison well and march through the opening numbers impressively building a big sound, loud and whittled from stone.

They weave narratives through their songs in the finest traditions of storytelling bands and the collection of touchstones like Fleet Foxes and Big Star are valid. R.E.M. circa Reckoning might be another.

Goldheart Assembly live in Blackburn

The locals are impressed proclaiming them the best band to have played a Blackburn pub for some time – makes a break from counting holes one supposes - and Goldheart Assembly kick up a notch with the more up tempo Row Sixteen. They show an impressive range of work – perhaps a result of being in essence two rival bands who merged. Perhaps that is why Blackburn and A Day In The Life seem fitting.

The old Americana is punctured by a high Cockney accent and more echo is added to vocal which is already the rich sound is so drenched in reverb. They sound best when harmonising and which is not the case on Oh Really! Which is not their best but is catchy recalling The Animals. It is 79p - we are told - and buying it will enable them to fill the tour bus for tomorrow's trip to Middlesbrough. From Whitehaven to Blackburn to Middlesbrough the band are paying dues in the provinces, sharpening a style which will stand them in good stead.

They finish with a slice of sixties pop that you know to dance to but struggle to recall a name for but not after taking a request from "anyone who has come down just to see us" and the request is for single So Long, St Christopher which is a gem rough around the edges but pure and heartfelt and enthralling at the core.

It encapsulates the band.

This post is about

    • The Suburbs by Arcade Fire
    • If You're Feeling Sinister by Belle & Sebastian
    • Love and Its Opposite by Tracey Thorn
    • Loveless Unbeliever by The School
    • Realism by The Magnetic Fields
    • Clinging to a Scheme by The Radio Dept.
    • Weathervanes by Freelance Whales
    • Night Falls Over Kortedala by Jens Lekman
    • Crazy For You by Best Coast
    • Whip-Smart by Liz Phair
    • When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog by Jens Lekman
    • Whitechocolatespaceegg by Liz Phair
    • Black Sheep Boy by Okkervil River
    • Champ by Tokyo Police Club
    • His 'N' Hers by Pulp
    • Oh You're So Silent Jens by Jens Lekman
    • It's Blitz! by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
    • A Certain Trigger by Maxïmo Park
    • Wolves and Thieves by Goldheart Assembly
    • Clinging to a Scheme by The Radio Dept.
    • Blue Roses by Blue Roses
    • Lesser Matters by The Radio Dept.
    • Our Earthly Pleasures by Maxïmo Park
    • Yeah So by Slow Club
    • Black Sheep Boy by Okkervil River
    • Showtunes by Stephin Merritt
    • The Stage Names by Okkervil River
    • If You're Feeling Sinister by Belle and Sebastian
    • Little Death by Pete and The Pirates
    • 69 Love Songs (disc 1) by The Magnetic Fields
    • Savage Garden by Savage Garden
    • Bande a Part by Nouvelle Vague
    • Eyes Open by Snow Patrol
    • Voices of Animals and Men by The Young Knives