Live Review

Be Presents – Proud, Camden

• 5th May 2010

The casual observer could be forgiven for thinking it was retro night at Proud in Camden last Saturday. The Be Presents line-up: French Kissing, The Like and Oh No Ono, all owe their sound (and look), to decades past – in varying degrees and with varying degrees of success.

French Kissing, bless ‘em, were first up and gamely played their faithful, well-executed take on surf rock to the still-empty room. It was fun, but one has to wonder about the value of this retro stuff. It’s like remaking Hitchcock’s Psycho – when the new version is so similar to what’s already been done, and done well, what’s the point?

The Like attracted rather more of a crowd. These lasses from southern California have built up a bit of a following with their angsty, feminine 60’s-inspired rock. However, they too seemed to have turned the retrometer up to 10 lately. In outfits straight from a Mary Quant catalogue and liquid eyeliner galore, their set consisted mainly of songs from their forthcoming album Release Me (produced by Mark Ronson). They’re catchy tunes, they were played well and the audience had a good old boogie. There’s an interesting contrast there too, between the modern feisty lyrics and the quaint old sound.

But the highlight of the set was an oldie, June Gloom, with its big angry guitar and lead vocalist Elizabeth “Z” Berg pushing her voice to breaking point in that way that tugs at your emotions. So maybe a bit less of the retro is a good thing? If the 60s façade were lowered a little, we might engage with the music more. The Like’s own voice is
valid, and it would be great to hear more if it…

Oh No Ono illustrated this point perfectly. The influences of previous decades on this quintet from Denmark are immediately obvious, but their sound is now, and it’s distinctive. Not least due to vocalist Malthe Fischer’s voice, which is so different it’s almost not human. Like Alvin of Chipmunk fame, if Alvin were into psychedelic alternative synth-pop.

Enthusiastic and experimental, the music these guys make has so many layers, so much going on, that it teeters on the brink of cacophony. But it’s held back from the edge by strong melodies, immaculate harmonies, a borderline-obese bass sound and good old-fashioned tight musicianship. It’s refreshingly interesting. It’s… gasp… new.

It worked well live too. The sound filled the room, the guys were clearly enjoying their job and at points it was all so big and outrageous and full of joy and you couldn’t help but grin.