Flymo or roller?
And the prize for most original band name at this year's In The City goes to This Is My Lawnmower! This Manchester five piece are an interesting bunch and no mistaking but not always for the right reasons. They're fairly young and early on in their set they look uncomfortable as performers with only vocalist Paul Rawson exhibiting any energy and even he looks like he's trying a little too hard to mimic Ian Curtis. Furthermore (and he won't thank me for this) the drummer looks like Aled Jones!
They play off beat electro indie and first impressions suggest they are not bad but a livelier stage show would make a real difference. Rawson is OK, not too charismatic but he has a decent voice, part Morrisey, part the aforementioned Curtis. I can't put my finger on it but despite the criticisms there's something about these guys that stops me from walking away, maybe the odd catchy chorus, maybe the well worked electronics, I'm not sure but what's certain is that the more they get into their set the better it gets. When Rawson picks up a trumpet I'm nervous but it turns out to be a stroke of genius and proves to be the missing ingredient, it gives the songs he uses it on a whole different dimension and really makes them stand out.
From here on in they have me won over and much of the assembled crowd seems to be in agreement. This Is My Lawnmower have something, I'm still not 100% sure what it is but it's there alright and they are worthy of further investigation. Go check them out & make up your own mind.