Sound InPhotos: Tall Ships and Tellison @ Camden Barfly

How to create a good show. Take a show that already happened in a bigger venue and sponsor it with beer. Tellison supporting Tall Ships happened last year at Shoreditch's XOYO and from there Tall Ships went on to headline the Scala after the release of their debut record Everything Touching. Becks managed to cram both into the Camden Barfly and what ensued was loud.
Here's the Sound Inphotos set from the night taken by Braden.



Created with flickr slideshow. Braden Fletcher

Tall Ships & Tellison @ XOYO

This summer, you may recall we went to 2000Trees. One of the best small festivals on the circuit, its brilliance was only dampened by a literal river of mud cascading down the main path through to the arena area. Of course, for many this only heightened the experience and it must be said that the steamy interior of the tent stages wouldn’t have been so atmospheric without insane (mostly bearded) men surfing over other, equally muddy punters.  The warm up night of 2000Trees brought two of the three best sets of the weekend back to back from Tellison and Tall Ships. The duo triumphed with some huge sing-alongs and a heck of a lot of wet dancing fans.

Tellison

In many ways, tonight is not like this one. We’re not in a field, it’s not raining and sadly its late Autumn. The wellies have been left at home and instead of Cheltenham, we’re in a Shoreditch basement. One thing remains the same though. Tellison, followed by Tall Ships.

First we’re treated to the Norweigan sounds of Dad Rocks! A singer songwriter by trade, you’re won over by the charm of the small supporting cast that includes a double bassist and trumpeter. The vocal harmonies channel a very classic sound, whilst the melody resembles that of one somewhere between Ben Gibbard and Sparky Deathcap (and that’s a high plaudit).

Tellison come on with some bombasity, opening with standout single Edith Wharton and barely stopping for breath as they rattle through indie-rock belter after another. The re-release of their debut album Contact! Contact! coming up sees tracks such as Gallery greeted with new invigoration whilst last year’s follow up; The Wages of Fear tracks like Say Silence and slow single Freud Links the Teeth are greeted with cheers and chorus sing-alongs. Not a bad response for a support act and so far, 2000Trees is matched.

Tall Ships

As Tall Ships take to the stage, its still not raining or muddy indoors but as they set into staple set opener T=0, sonically it’s the same. The Sussex trio’s live soundscape is a formidable one and one that whilst hugely energetic, stays true to the sound of their studio work. Convenient too, as their debut album, Everything Touching is one of our favorites this year. They play mostly from it an as tracks such as Best Ever, a new tune to the Tall Ships artillery blend in with more well known tracks like the re-vamped Ode To Ancestors you understand how the record took so long to make. The diversity in sound goes from a math-rock element in Chemistry (lead single from their debut EP) to a more dance oriented sound on nine minute set closer Murmurations. Its something to admire and whilst those present tonight are hardly dancing to the point of crowd surfing, you can’t help but feel that Tall Ships go from strength to strength as they mature. 

Braden Fletcher

Tall Ships - Everything Touching

                

If you ignore One Direction breaking every record around, Chris Brown winning awards, Carly Rae Jepsen, Tulisa, PSY, David Guetta etcetc, its not been a bad year for music. There’s more bands breaking through now than ever before, giving you a plethora of new music to listen to on a weekly basis from Lana Del Rey to Alt-J via Grimes and Peace. Some push music out thick and fast to create a Hype Machine fire that burns for a few weeks and then sits on your iPod, occasionally noticed by onlookers who’ll ask if you’ve heard the *insert artist here* remix before scrolling past as if last weeks’ band no longer matter.

Luckily, not all music is born the same premature way. Some acts grow through EPs and a notorious live show over time and develop in such a way that when their debut album finally arrives, they deserve to engulf the underground with the hunger that they’ve built. This week sees Tall Ships finally release their debut record “Everything Touching”. Does it justify their years of work?

In short, yes. Whilst there’s tracks on this record that have been around for a while, possibly disappointing the more dedicated Tall Ships listener, the likes of “Ode To Ancestors” has been reworked in a way that takes it in a more delicate and borderline enchanting direction. Whilst there are occasionally tracks that are difficult listening (does “Oscar” really need to be five and a half minutes long?), you’re rewarded for your patience almost instantaneously by the album centerpiece “Gallop”. It’s brash, its powerful and it sweeps you along into the world of Tall Ships’ fixation with time even more. Not that the band are worried about time, it only took them 2 years since their first EP to put the record together.

What you have with Everything Touching is a record that, given the chance, grows and encapsulates both the stunning intimacy of music and its overwhelming power. With Tall Ships you have the ability to completely lose your shit and then regain it in the space of two tracks and enjoy the whole thing right up to the incredible closers of “Books” and “Murmurations”. Its 65Daysofstatic mixed with the most grandiose rock bands and a bit of mathy intelligence.

“Time is precious, time will forget us” sings lead vocalist Ric. Time spent with this record is indeed precious, but definitely not forgettable.   

9.0

Braden Fletcher