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Define your ideal Friday night? Getting sloshed in your local, decorating the toilet tiles with what were once the ominous contents of your intestinal region? Cuddling up with a loved one in the safe confines of your shagfest, condom strewn, pit of a bedroom with big brother on the brown box? Or mixing it up at the cooler than cool kids social gathering at the Youthmovies gig at Water Rats.
I Was A Cub Scout were disappointingly plagued by a multitude of unfortunate incidents, which is a shame on the grandest scale, since they have the potential to be so great, especially for two people so young (jealous much?). The strength and musical depth of their compositions would lead you, understandably, to presume on first listen that the band is construed of more than two members; you’d clearly be wrong. Where the White Stripes are gimmicky, often sticking vigilantly to their two instrument mantra, IWACS have reverted to synthesisers to create a more layered sound.
From the cutesy Architecture in Helsinki hand claps in ‘Part Two’ to the heckled ambivalence of ‘Prince Of Wales’, they could have wooed the crowd, if they’d have been arsed. The set was short, frustrated Todd Marriott launched his toys at the audience telling them he’d rather eat cut glass than read their reviews (sure there’s a bloc party song lyric in there somewhere).
Youthmovies (formerly Youth Movie Soundtrack Strategies) came in on the Sonic Youth’s experimental post-rock silver rocket, after being Oxford’s best kept secret for far longer than is kind. Boasting songs with four minute instrumental interludes, concentration is futile as aural appreciation is a full time occupation for the maestros of musically talented youth. This does not even cover just how fucking talented they are- it’s perplexing. Like the pretentious math rock persuasions of early Biffy Clyro? YMSS put Biffy wholeheartedly to shame, eclipsing the triumphs of the Dismemberment Plan, swotting up on musical formations way beyond the common 4/4 time signature.
Their competency is baffling; elitist on merit alone. Musical librarians for the jilted generation; brings new meaning to the term awesome: awe and then some.
