Psychedelic Textured Rock
After my excitement about string instruments was thrown into disarray by the last group on the Tuborg Stage, Connan and The Moccasins, I'm a little nervous of The Lea Shores violinist, luckily the group easily restore my faith in all things string. The band begin with a frisson of peaking ambient music with a hippy maracca shake from singer Simon Webb* who's dressed up like a real old rock n'roller. After this trippy intro the band launch into a chugging tune fortified vocal harmonies; the kind of atmospheric gripping rock tune that instantly casts a spell over the audience. The mixture of gritty guitar work, entrancing vocals and blistering violin slides really adds something different to the Tuborg Stage today and the crowd seem equally taken in by the swirling melodies.
Single, 'Guillotine' is a high point with two tone vocal harmonies lifting the tune from the world of grimy rock heavenward as the vocals sigh, "She's got you, she'll cut you down like a guillotine". The psychedelic element is strong in this tune, creating a euphoric epic that could easily win over festival crowds on the larger outdoor stages. 'Ocean Love's lyrics about taking a ride on the ocean may be slightly clichéd, but a strutting bassline brings the soaring vocals back to earth, grounding the fluid tune. The closer is a fantastic crescendo to the set with a brooding guitar riff cutting through the heavy vocals to reach a thundering peak. There's plenty of rhythmic nodding in appreciation of the music and spontaneous hand clapping when it suits, but the real sign that the audience are keen on The Lea Shores is that at least 3 casual observers ask me (always ask the person with the notepad) who the band were after the show.
Powerful tunes captivate the listeners with crystalline guitars enthralling; the closest comparison would be to The Cooper Temple Clause's more experimental work, but The Lea Shores' string section and more ethereal melodies have an innate beauty that the former could never achieve. These haunting melodies with a sturdy rock core are delivered with stoic conviction by the band, but on stage banter is hardly necessary when you only have a short time slot. The Lea Shores are definitely a band to watch, forget The Gallaghers turning out to watch The White Stripes later on in the evening, Andy Bell has already declared himself The Lea Shores' biggest fan.
*No relation to our Deputy Editor of the same name.