 | | Living the rock 'n' roll life |
He mightn’t have had the audience of maniacal pogoers that he was hankering after, but he did have a crowd of people who were there for the music, not for the hype. The Departure are a decent enough band with an assortment of songs that fit the moment. Soon to be re-released single All Mapped Out elicited a cheer, but it’s Lump in my Throat that permeates the brain the day after. Despite his lack of enthusiasm, Jones has got a rich, emotive voice; there was some quality plectrum work on lead guitar whilst Ben Winton was knocking out dirty basslines with style. You get the feeling that they’re waiting on a call from the NME tour bus, but if it doesn’t come soon, it’ll be another 20 years before they’re back in fashion. Hot Hot Heat were back in town to promote their new album Elevator, but as the nuclear-charged Leo Sayer perm emerged through the mists, it was tracks from 2003’s breakthrough album Make up the Breakdown that provided the soundtrack. Four songs in and Ladies and Gentleman brought them down to the business of pushing the new record. The new material received a pretty easy ride, but you couldn’t help feeling that with Elevator, they’ve veered off course on a quest to write a mainstream stadium anthem, which they just don’t need. As a live set, they get away with it; you get swept away by their charisma, their ridiculously tight trousers and the litres of silhouetted sweat flying from their hair into the ether. Without the distractions, you’re left with an album which in moving forward has pushed them backwards. Bandages sounded as fresh and as brilliant as ever and you couldn’t help thinking that if they were releasing it now, they’d be propelled far further forwards than they were in 2003. Internet buyers of Make up the Breakdown are now stashing away releases by The Futureheads, The Bravery and The Killers – it seems that Hot Hot Heat arrived early for their own party. | 
