Joy

SPECIAL NEEDS
MILK TEETH, TWISTED CHARM
CATCH 22, 24/9/03

NEWS

BANDS

We're here for the first of the relaunched Helicopter club nights, and as we arrive, it's all looking pretty good, from

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the chopper projecting videos to the line up, and there's a decent sized crowd gathering too.

First to benefit are TWISTED CHARM, whose Erase Errata style jerky no wave demands attention. Augmented by sax and a fine taste in footwear, the sound they produce is both energetic and considered, with 'Whore' particularly catching the ear, coming on like a collaboration between Elastica and KaitO played backwards.

By the end of their set the constantly jarring, high tempo rhythms do start to tire a little, but if they can add a few more strings to their bow, we could finally have a British band worthy of mention alongside the current US no-wave crop.

Thrills of a decidedly more straightforward nature are offered up by MILK TEETH, who show initial promise with a rock 'n' roll onslaught, but despite some decent riffs never quite manage to get the pulse racing as they might.

Things seem to have started happening for headliners SPECIAL NEEDS, with a debut single out next month, and airplay XFM, and their growing reputation is reflected in the enthusiastic response of the crowd, with 'Motorbiking' and a closing 'Do You Want to Come Home With Me and Listen to Some Roy Orbison?' received with particular relish.

And the Needs just carry on doing what they do best: serving up jangly indie rock riffs and Phil Spektor harmonies, while singer Zac croons his dulcet Morrissey if he weren't such a miserable git

vocals about girls with old fashioned names hanging about near Tesco; and it's fucking miraculous tonight. Andrew & Daniel 'sha-la-la' like they've never 'sha-la-la'd before, Zac shimmies

and shakes at the front of the stage, while Phil keeps his usual calm, cross legged vigil at the side of the stage on bass and Neil bashes out the rhythms from the back.

To be honest, I've written about Special Needs so many times, I'm starting to run out of hyperlatives to describe them. I wasn't even going to review them tonight, but once again they've sent me home with a maniacal grin and a spark in my head that I just can't shake off.

More photos from this gig here

For more on Special Needs, check out my Special Needs page, or if you really have to leave us, their official site is here.