Saturday 18^th September

Strange the way musical fads come and go. The Escape Committee are a rare species who seem to have slipped through the retro net that has engulfed guitar-rock during the last five years. By taking their influences from say 15 years ago instead of 30, paradoxically bands inspired by the likes of Neil Young and the Beatles somehow sound more up to date. In truth, this matters little because the Escape Committee, with all of their glaringly unfashionable influences and horrific hair ‘adventures’ possess in bags what other, lesser acts can only dream of; poise.

No, that’s not the same as posing. The Escape Committee may be many things but dilettantes they are not. These people care deeply about what they are doing, and the result is a show of tremendous articulacy. Their more downbeat songs are masterpieces of restraint, whilst the brighter ones feature crisp, choppy guitar lines and the bittersweet sax of Louise Armer underpinned by a tireless and lively rhythm section. In their refusal to sacrifice clarity and dynamics for volume and noise, they are such an english band. Big fuzzy solos and cliché strewn grunge-lite moan-athons are out; their musical subtlety lends their songs far greater depth, conveying real emotions and feelings.

Yes, OK, doing two sets is probably pushing it a little, and certainly some songs fall slightly short of the mark. But then again, when one song (I know no titles) bounces along with such a delightful bass and drums groove reminiscent of the wonderful first Charlatans record, and with another possessing a sax solo that is pure sex itself you can forgive them this much. Hooks abound and Louise Armer’s voice is by a long way the best around. A quick trip to the hairdressers and the world is theirs…