|
Alta Rosa had a lot going for them... but a lot missing too. Very strong, consistent radio-rock guitars formed pop/rock melodies, and for the best part of the set the bassist had a right old time laying down a distinctive sound for the songs to wrap themselves around. But the first song could have had a real whammer of a finish rather than fading to a half-hearted close. Throughout the set the composition of songs was the noticable missing link. Strong, but lacking an all round identity and sound. The Moogs rode up on a dark horse to lay down their challenge; other bands should be a little wary of these hitherto unknowns. With a blues-rock thread running through a gritty hard edge rock set, complete with a confident stage presence, The Moogs worked as an all-round package. Harmonic vocals worked on Coral/Kings of Leon gonzo sound as well as more traditional blues-rock, and when they wigged-out those guitars were whirlwinds. With Treehouse 3 winning last year, the melodic rock from The Remedies could be an outside bet. On this set, it must be noted, they did not instantly impress. A number of songs wandered around with earnest importance but without a strong enough hook. The lead singer tried his best Kelly Jones impression, and the guitarists tried to force anything through the motions, but an actual compelling and memorable song just failed to arrive. Good, but beige. Written by Liam Pennington PRODUCED
IN ASSOCIATION WITH 'ROUGH SKETCH' |