Dead Naked Hippies
The Flapper
Review by Sue Walnut
PJJ
Ah! The return of jingly jangly indie shite, and I mean that in a good way. This 5 piece in boiler suits were channelling the sound of Glasgow from before they were born: Ballboy, Arab Strap and Teenage Fanclub, with enticing moments of Tindersticks and a bit of good old Rock and roll!
PJJ produced songs! Discernable, head bobbing toe tapping tunes! They were tight and, like their Glasgow idols, comfortable at the considered pace of a first-side-last-track. With their beautiful voices (if not all together), I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re six months of jamming in someone’s shed away from producing the kind of super catchy song that will underpin bank adverts for a decade. But pick a catchier name!
Gold Baby
I loved Gold Baby. Or her. London’s Gold Baby is fronted by a talented and transfixing young woman (Siân Alex). She can play the guitar and oh! she can sing! And her band (stand-in bass player Mo and the regular drummer) are so good that She can really shine.
On the indie guitar opening by woman with high cheekbones and perfect skin, my immediate thought was Sleeper. Then Echobelly. But she’s better than those. As good as solo Emma Pollack, with moments of Frente. I really want Gold Baby to make it. They deserve to. But rise above the Sleeper!
Dead Naked Hippies
Poly Styrene fronts grunge from Leeds. The pocket fire-engine frontwoman (Lucy) has a truly lovely voice and a theatric stage presence which she shares with the audience. The backing guitarist and drummer lay down a solid grunge bed for her robotic stage moves and Billy Idol glances and the experience is periodically reminiscent of L7.
But it wasn’t until the penultimate song that the guitar and drums matched the singer in drama – A moment of AC/DC showmanship! Pursuing that drama-matching magic will set Dead Naked Hippies apart!