Alpine, Boy In A Box, Buchanan@ Corner Hotel, Melbourne(25/2/2011)

Wed 2nd Mar, 2011 in Gig Reviews

An impressively large and diverse crowd greeted local indie-pop six-piece Alpine for the launch of their debut EP, Zurich, which has just been released through Ivy League. It certainly provided a fillip for the local scene to see a near-capacity Corner Hotel play host to a relatively unknown band, even if they have had the odd tune pop up on Triple J recently.The sizable audience eagerly lapped up Alpine’s polished, if somewhat one-paced performance.

Another local act, Buchanan, kicked off proceedings with their brand of stadium rock-lite, sounding a little Coldplay, Kings of Leon and maybe even a pinch of The Fray. Their versatile lead singer Josh Simons alternated between acoustic guitar and keyboards, employing the latter for a stripped back take on Katy Perry’s recent hit, Teenage Dream. He played this as an intro into their final song, and, while it may have been received indifferently, it was great to see an unexpected curve ball thrown into their brief set.

The more exciting and dynamic Boy In A Box was the second of three Melbourne bands on the bill. Well, to be fair, their lead singer Tobias Priddle is a New South Welshmen who only recently travelled south of the border for a new start. And, judging by the half a dozen songs he played, it may well be a successful new start for his burgeoning project. Priddle thrashed through his brand new tunes with great energy and momentum, and there was something about the slicked back hair, combined with the muscular sound that evoked Bruce Springsteen, or perhaps the Boss’ lovechild with the Kaiser Chiefs.

The main act, Alpine, sounded noticeably different to the preceding two bands.
Where Buchanan and Boy in a Box were driven by guitars and occasionally keyboards, Alpine were propelled forward by a thumping beat that clung to each of their dance-floor friendly tunes. Emerging onto a stage bathed in shimmering projections, giving the surrounds the appearance of a clear, star-filled night, it was obvious that the band had put a great deal of effort into the visual side of their performance.

Throughout the 45-minute set, striking imagery was projected onto the stage and the two screens on either side, often reflecting the mood of the songs. The two vocalists, Lou James and Phoebe Baker, were also dolled up in black with dramatic, glam-rock era eye make-up. Unfortunately the same theatricality couldn’t really be found in Alpine’s tunes. While undeniably catchy and astutely produced, there was something rather repetitive about them.

They started promisingly enough, with Lovers building nicely to a thumping climax and the chilled, melodious groove of Too Safe getting the crowd in the mood. However, the latter track also highlighted an unwanted characteristic that would pervade the set – soft, ineffective vocals.

While the two slinky female vocalists moved around the stage in a somewhat sexual manner, looking terrific and appearing enthusiastic throughout the set, what they were actually there for – to sing – got lost somewhere along the way. Their sedate vocals tended to fade into the beats and flickering guitars, and the lyrics were all-but indecipherable. Their objective may well be to create a very relaxed, hypnotic and ethereal brand of dancey-pop, but they really needed a bit more oomph to liven up their performance. Without this vocal impact, it pretty much just sounded like a record.

Alpine closed the set with a couple of the more noteworthy tracks from their new EP, Heartlove and Villages, both of which were very well received, before briefly returning for an encore of the laidback Icypoles.

It was doubtless a high quality performance of their new material, but a little more energy and variety in the sound wouldn’t go astray.