But the music … Well, it’s not as bad as I feared. Current single, ‘Do Everything I Taught You’ released on the peerless Fierce Panda label, is getting a bit of airplay from the likes of MTV2 and it does stand out as a highlight of their set. Nothing else really gives me the desire to make the effort to investigate any further but maybe I’m being a bit harsh. This is the first date of the tour, and they do suffer from one or two technical difficulties, but most of the songs just wash right over me.

So, onto Thirteen Senses, complete with huge banner backdrop displaying their name in bland, nondescript lettering. In some quarters they’ve been labelled ‘the English Mercury Rev’. Whilst this is someway wide of the mark - rarely do they evoke the dreamy other-worldliness managed by Jonathan Donahue and co – they do occasionally scale such heights, like on the sky-scraping ‘Into The Fire’, where the sound is one of sheer bliss. Will’s voice has certainly improved since last time I saw them, or maybe they’ve just got a better Sound Man. Either way, it contributes to a thoroughly enjoyable performance.

Their set is padded out with B-sides to make a decent length show. It’s a fact they freely admit though and the crowd waits patiently, although some are clearly only familiar with their album ‘The Invitation’; The vast majority of the crowd though, don’t even admit to owning this when Will asks for a show of hands – that’s the download generation for you, I guess; or possibly just that many can’t summon the effort to raise their hand above their head.

The singles are still the highlights, as the piano-led album tracks follow the same formula and occasionally merge into one. The anthemic ‘Do No Wrong’ should have done much better, sales-wise … so expect a re-release to accompany their new found fame. Forthcoming single ‘The Salt Wound Routine’, played here with great emotion, is a wise choice. The highlight for me though, is the rockier former single ‘Thru The Glass’ (saved for the encore). Personally, I would prefer them to make more music of that ilk but their tried and trusted slow burning balladry is de rigueur at the moment so why change?

Review by Steve Vickers

www.thirteensenses.co.uk
www.alterkicks.co.uk

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