Plastic Palace Alice, Deep SeaArcade, Skinny Jean @ EmpressHotel, Melbourne (21/08/09)

Thu 27th Aug, 2009 in Gig Reviews

Calling yourself Skinny Jean in today’s musical climate encourages the unfamiliar punter to make some rather disparaging assumptions: – œjust another BBC Radio 1 indie rock band’. Playing at the Empress Hotel in the impossibly tight jean hotbed of North Fitzroy, only seemed to lay credence to that.

Skinny Jean were in Melbourne for the release of their single Anhedonia, touring with friends Deep Sea Arcade. They opened with it, while it dances very close to the standard, the unusual harmonies, time changes, unaffected vocals and cheeky hooks (whether it be on xylophone, keys or guitar) maintain interest. And that would remain the theme throughout their set: at face value their tracks, while they traversing genres, stuck pretty close to the norm with just enough distinction. There was everything from folk, to big stadium filling rock, to sombre ballads. They were both eclectic and unique, and exuded a sense of fun missing in many of their more earnest indie cohorts.

Deep Sea Arcade proceeded the Jeans with a dark lofi cali-pop sound: think Beach Boys on downers. They were similar to SJ in that their tracks exhibited all the likeable hallmarks of that genre that Band of Horses, Fleetfoxes and the like have revived recently, with a gentle dose of their own medicine. Their sound is rich, enveloping and to be listened to while blazed looking into the sun setting over the ocean with your special one snuggled close. Incongruously this worked in the bowels of North Fitzroy in the middle of winter: a homely pub with an open fire and sofas is rather similar.

Plastic Palace Alice were last up. It was bass player Gabe Piras’ final gig with the band and in his honour they donned fancy dress. The band looked like a nutty bunch none more so than Huw Murdoch who was wearing a wild black intergalactic vest with sculptured shoulder puffs atop a quilted tunic. There was little thought paid to coordination with Ritchie’s donning a Venetian mask and lead Rob McDowell looking as though he had just played four quarters for the Pies.

Two tracks stood out from their set: Empire Falls and Gabe leading the band with a Nick Cave styled rendition of MJ’s Bad. Empire Falls would be what The Strokes and Arcade Fire would produce if they collaborated and were in a peppy mood: it’s optimistic, bright, toe-tapping and sweet, with grungy guitars. To be fair, the venue did not provide the acoustics or environment for this song to soar, but its potential is clear. This was in stark contrast to the cover of Bad. It was slowed down, cut up and bastardised – think Wild Rose – and was amazing. It was a great close to the evening.