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Enter John Hassalls “oh shit I’m not in the Libertines anymore so I better make a band up” last ditch attempt to keep his hand in the music industry release ‘One Eye On The Banquet’. An EP full of 60’s Brit-pop psychadelica riffs and Small Faces musical clones.
Yeti’s first release since Hassall was overlooked by Barat for his pub rock band, ‘One Eye On The Banquet’ does not instill confidence in a listener that this quickly formed live act will be around for very long, much less have the lastability and songwriting prowess of the bands they so try to emulate with this release, but this EP has got some charm to it that will help you get over the fact that you spent a fiver to purchase it in the hope that there may be some Lib-esque tunage.
‘The Last Time You Go’ has that unmistakably Libertines Guitar sound that we all have come to love (or hate) mixed in with a typically session musician sound that makes the band come off like a bunch of middle aged pub entertainers. Not ones to shy away from their influences it is clear very quickly that they loved the ‘Help’ album a little too much. ‘Moneygod’ is a flamenco tinged epic of miniature proportions that could sound good yet is let down by the clean goody-two-shoes production qualities on display here. Yeti have the ability to sound decent here but their Beatles-in-suits era throwbacks will fall on unimpressed ears if tracks like these and the abysmal ‘Song For The Dead’ are all the band is about.
Yet as promised there are a couple of tracks that will rouse some kind of toe tapping. ‘Magpie Blues’ is a bluesy rock n’ roll acoustic bust up that hints at a band unclear as to the direction they want to take their sound, but clears the cobwebs off this release. ‘Insect-Eating Man’ is a shameful Small Faces clone but is cheeky enough to get away with it’s head held high as Hassall’s posh stiff upper lip vocals mixed with quirky lyrics about eating bugs backed up with cutesy pie guitars is quite simply dashing. Overall this is an EP to test the water before Yeti unleash a debut album upon us, showcasing their influences and mixed talent as musicians. Let’s just hope the songwriting gets a damn sight better.
