@ Fusion & Foundry, University, Sheffield, 22 September 2005
At a time when technology seems to be changing the way we listen to music,
it's not surprising that many of tonight's devoted Fuzz Club crowd are here
to simply see the hyped-up trendy band behind those cute Lego-man style
videos. The fact that it is Freshers' Week and Steve Lamacq is watching
from the side of the stage further induces the jumping-the-bandwagon indie
clique to really get excited.
Sheffield-based French duo The Lovers warm up the evening with their own
bizarre yet endearing electropop, dividing the crowd and paving the
quirky footpath for Brixton-based Clor. The synth beats of the
headline band are delicious at first, with a sprinkling
of Devo yet a unique twist of originality.
Fusing primitive rhythms and
trance-like vocals, it's sometimes hard to remember where one song ended and
the other started. Without sounding too much like an old age pensioner, to
an untrained ear, much of Clor's likeable music can sometimes
sound a tad too similar.
But, credit where credit is due, single Love & Pain makes you want to dance
and cry at the same time due to its peculiar, fast-pased yet meloncholic electro guitar.
Outsiders is rather fitting for tonight - all about finding love at your local indie disco.
Sadly,
Clor seem to have lost many of their listeners for exactly that reason.
You can spot the ones who haven't yet copped off as they're counting their
change and saving up for Clor's October release of their anticipated Good
Stuff single. They'll work out a dance routine to this little number to use when they next
see someone that takes their fancy.
So by the end of their set, one question remains unanswered. Is it
better to spend a student loan on watching Clor live, or easier to watch
one of their music videos? With students not known for splashing their cash and
top-up fees just around the corner, perhaps things aren't looking too bright
for the live band of the moment.
ALBUMS OUT THIS WEEK:
