How many bands can you name from Switzerland? Well I beat you by a count of one, Deer Johnson are an acoustic guitar duo (Philip Deer and Thomas Johnson) from the land of cowbells and Toblerone.
The stage is set like a living room from a 1970's TV drama; there's a small occasional table between two chairs, on the table is a table lamp the base of which is curiously a wooden statue of a horned mammal (quite possibly a deer?)
I think they described their as yet unreleased songs as “ sad songs.... mainly about avalanches”. What they also are are beautiful harmonies between the two vocals, played on two acoustic guitars. Comparisons to Turin Brakes may be a bit obvious considering the set up but still valid. If you like your melodies beautifully played and sung, reminding you of a boozy afternoon with the sun on your back at some festival then Deer Johnson could well be for you.
Simple two part harmonies could not be a greater contrast to what comes next . For those unfamiliar with Moulettes they are a multi-instrumental, multi-member (albums credit about 20 co-collaborators of the Moulchestra ) performers of angular, string-dominant pop; who actually invite the audience during tonight's show to help them come up with a description of their sound so they have something to use in interviews (my own suggestions might be baroque-rock, orchestral pop, both of which were cruelly rejected or ignored by the band).
Tonight's version of the band is a five piece including Kate Young (of Kate in the Kettle and Carthy, Hardy, Farrell and Young) and Eliza Jaye who opened tonight's show with a short set of electric blues tunes. First track is the bright and cheery 'Sing Unto Me' from 'The Bear's Revenge', lead vocalist and demon cello player Hannah Miller's vocals chiming like church bells during the intro. Plenty of the complex, whirling folk of 2014 release 'Constellations' is played: the joyful single 'So It Goes', the multi-part, spooky vocals in the folk-prog (?) of 'The Observatory' as well as the title track with its jerky rhythms and choir-like vocals. A brand new track which features Hannah solo finger-clicking and playing an autoharp was inspired by the life of nematode worms!
Providing a moment of contrast is the relatively sparse and beautiful 'Songbird' consisting of just a vocal and guitar, then 'Glorious Year' which has just been released as a single with its breathy, swooping vocals and pulsing rhythm section . They finish with a rocking, stomping 'Requiem', the whole band attacking their instruments creating a triumphant finish.
A night of clever, complex yet still hummable, thrilling, totally original music.
Alisdair Whyte
