Reviews: Birds Need Trees, Urbis, 2008

Original article;

http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/content/articles/2008/07/08/050708_birds_need_trees_feature.shtml

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Birds Need Trees at Urbis

Colin Warhurst (gig: 05/07/08)

Having Contact Mo kick off ‘Birds Need Trees’ at Urbis was both a great decision and a poor one, as they were one of the better acts on offer, meaning that while they started things well, they deserved a higher billing.

Contact Mo

Playing to a huge space criminally under-filled, their dark operatic sound managed to fill the cavernous void quite dramatically. At times, they almost approach Sigur Ros in creating an emotional tone where you can't dissect where which part of the melody and feeling is coming from.

Their music is filmic, cathartic and full of haunting vocals. Putting a band with so much talent on first could have been planned as a way to cram in the punters early; in reality, it meant that too many people missed out on hearing a great band.

Aidan Smith

Aidan Smith followed, cheering us up with his eclectic collection of witty, insightful little ditties. However, there was too much unfulfilled potential on display. Quite obviously an intelligent lyricist and musician, these two traits failed to reconcile with each other.

The assorted instruments and witty lyrics weren't backed up by the music, which failed to take us anywhere. Quirky enough to remind you of Eels, but the commentary, insights or anecdotes he was trying to tell about modern love and life just needed a little more musical variety and punch to get the point across.

Educated Animals

So to Educated Animals, who turned out to be a rather pleasant surprise, as I was worried when I spotted them setting up wearing skinny jeans and sharing an all white dress code.

However, they turned out to posses some ridiculously good tunes, with the synths, high solos, vocals and full-on drum beats reminding me of an early Killers, but in a slightly faster and more enjoyable package.

Displaying an impressive range of tunes, they have managed to create their own distinct sound that managed to really boost the energy levels of everyone present.

Rochelle (c) Liam Henry

Next, Rochelle, who were by far the most dramatic act of the evening; quirky, ballsy and talented. Lead singer Lydia is eccentric, talented and a quirky sex symbol all rolled into one. Sticking everything they can into their musical blender, what comes out is a wonderfully unique sound.

Sultry and sexy vocals, belted out by Lydia, topped a combination of synthetic melodies and reinforced with addictive punchy drumbeats. The amount of mainstream potential untapped here is astonishing; catchy tunes, excellent beats that just force you to bob along, and a front woman with more balls than a five a side team. Rochelle are worthy of any future attention they receive.

The Answering Machine

If anyone could follow such a manic and fun filled set from Rochelle, you’d have bet on The Answering Machine could, with their previous gigs containing enough manic energy and enthusiasm to fly you to the moon.

Tonight though, their performance sorely lacked that frenzied enthusiasm, while their newer material failed to get the old Answering Machine hairs on the back of our necks standing.

Familiar fan favourites ‘Lightbulbs’ and ‘Silent Hotels’ almost ignited the crowd, but something was lacking on the night. Perhaps they were concentrating on getting their new material right, but an Answering Machine minus the fun is a disappointing spectacle, even for the uninitiated.

Air Cav (c) Shirlaine Forrest

Finally, rounding up things, Air Cav managed to recapture some of the enthusiasm from earlier on in the evening. Celebrating and releasing their new double A-side, ‘Embers’ and ‘Picking At The Bones’, they managed to deliver an energetic set.

Air Cav straddle a strange place, combining atmospheric melodies - revolving around violinist Sophie's impressive and grandiose sound - with driving drum and bass rhythms. The resulting sound is reminiscent of Arcade Fire at times, but one couldn't help feel that the tunes just needed to be a little catchier in places.

Creating some beautiful musical backdrops and with more than their fair share of impressive fretwork, a sense of frustration slowly seeped in as their music made you want to explode at the right moment, but that final spark to light the powder keg never came.

That said, they still delivered a hugely enjoyable set and some impressive tunes, marking them out as being worthy of the headline slot.