We used to be gods, now we’re so plain (Patty Lee, Les Savy Fav)
What happened to Harlequin League? In the 6 or so months between catching them, the quirky flair that made for such a thrilling proposition live has seemingly been phased out for a rather unremarkable rock approach. The tone was set from the opening song, as keyboardist Benjamin Pooley took his guitar for a noisy tuneless jam that went nowhere fast. This established a pattern of trying to rock out as hard as possible, with plenty of noise but little form or finesse: “Say what you say, what you really wanna say” an example of the unimaginative lyrics peppered throughout. Bones was an early set highlight and a reminder of what the band is capable of; whip-crack riffery, jungle drums and livewire guitarist Seb Astone a sight barking his vocals into the mic. But these moments were few and far between, and it was a task to maintain attention. Harlequin League have phenomenal potential, and it would be unfair to dismiss a band so young and in favour of experimentation on the basis of a few misadventures; however if this was an indication of what to expect, it looks as though we’ll be waiting a while longer to find an act capable of joining that dread-locked hippie from Fremantle in actually living up to the title of Next Big Thing.
With recent showcases in London, Tokyo and New York, it is obvious the ambitions of The Dirty Secrets lie beyond our fair land girt by sea. And so comes the conundrum in reviewing such a band: to which standard should they be held accountable? On a local standard, it’s simple. They blow everyone else away.
Since supporting space opera behemoths Muse and recording their debut album in the UK with renowned mixer Nick Terry, the hype behind The Dirty Secrets has grown exponentially. Hype is a fickle mistress, and bands are often left floundering in its wake. However, from the second they hit the stage, emanating an effortless swagger and cool that comes from confidence in an ability to put on a bulletproof show, the reason for the hype is obvious. Synth lines bounce off the walls like Han Solo laser bursts, frontman Jarrah McLeary in those oh-so-skinny jeans reels off a succession of catchy melodies, and the rhythm section is unrelenting in its willingness to seduce your hips. Guitarist Mike Sanders plays an unheralded role, embellishing the sound with taut melodic lines that weave throughout and electrify the songs. Seriously tight without sacrificing a shred of energy, they create an unstoppable driving wall-of-sound as distinct from the earlier noise.
So that said, how did the performance sit against an international standard? Pretty well it turns out. All four band members looked and acted like rock stars, and with a fantastic light show it was easy to forget they’re a local band. They looked at home on stage in front of a packed house and, as the response to singles Lighthouse, 5 Feet of Snow and Hearts on Fire attested, they have the quality of songs to back it up. As far as Saturday nights at Amplifier go, it doesn’t get much better.
Ostensibly, all the pieces are in place and they deserve the title of “Most likely to become Perth’s next notable musical export” (though Sugar Army may rightfully disagree). However, they do lack the breakthrough sing-a-long track required to unify the masses at an international level, and as The Killers prepare to release their third album and continue to move away from the synth-driven rock genre to which The Dirty Secrets are so heavily indebted, will it be too little too late?
