More a Frigate than a Battleship
Fleet have been going for six years during which time they have become prolific giggers with over 80 under their belts last year alone. They come on to a rather muted reaction before launching into what has become pretty standard rock and roll along the lines of Kings of Leon etc. The vocals stand out and are strong and soulful, reminiscent of The Cooper Temple Clause although the songs sound familiar and follow a rather tried and tested formula. They are by no means a bad band, infact they are consummate musicians but they lack originality. The excellent drummer keeps the songs driving along and helped by a good sound mix they prove themselves to be a good band. Two or three years ago they would have been an exciting discovery but there are just too many bands at the moment playing similar material for Fleet to stand out.
Although they have three guitarists, they gel well and as the set progresses a couple of the tracks certainly wouldn't sound out of place in the charts. The slower songs add variety and the vocal harmonies are as tight as the music. They certainly look the part and turn in a thoroughly polished and professional performance that if anything is just too slick. Six years together explains why but it does mean that they lack any kind of raw edge that would add extra appeal. They do however win over much of the crowd and bring in a steady stream of people throughout their set, provoking good applause after every song.
If Fleet don't make it then it certainly won't be down to lack of effort, it just may be that this style of rock has reached saturation point in recent years.