Sweet Sweet Lies

After a long wait, this much loved Brighton band have finally unleashed their debut album, launched in some style at this very packed new venue. Dominic von Trapp and his full band blazed through the ‘The Hare, The Hound And The Tortoise’, a recording that features punk, mariachi, country and pop, is wrapped up in bittersweet melodies, and sometimes acerbic lyricism, but with a beating heart of romanticism at its core. In Von Trapp (real name Arnall) they possess a vocalist of power and control (very ably backed up by second singer Michael Hayes), who walks a path between the doom-laden baritone of Scott Walker and the visceral outpourings of Nick Cave. From the sweet waltz-like ballad of ‘No One Will Love You Like I Do’ (although the X-rated version live on stage is a hoot) to the driving ‘The Capital of Iceland’, Sweet Sweet Lies have an extensive arsenal of simply great songs.

Jive Monkey, 24 February 2012
Rating:
Jeff Hemmings