Turin Brakes have come a long way since ‘The Optimist LP’ was released back in 2001. They’ve also managed to outrun many of the early 2000s bands who appeared to steal their limelight, back in those heady days of indie rock domination. The band’s 7th studio album, ‘Lost Property’, is due to be released two days after this gig, and the early part of their set is dominated with songs from the record.
The crowd don’t seem to mind too much. Largely due to the fact that Olly Knights’ incandescent vocals are as slick and soothing as ever. If there’s a distinct lack of those textured harmonies between him and long-term sidekick Gale Paridjanian, then they seem to have been ably replaced with an edgier rock sound. Opening songs ‘96’ and ‘Keep Me Around’ are sprightly, giving early momentum to the set. A few songs in and ‘Future Boy’, from their previously mentioned debut, gets a welcome airing for members of the crowd looking to sing a line or two back to the band.
Other fan favourites, ‘Emergency 72’ and ‘Painkiller’ amongst them, are also given rich applause. The latter of which, incidentally the band’s highest ever chart entry, is given a far scuzzier framework than its recorded counterpart ever asserted. ‘Jumpstart’, another new track, soars, and by encore the band are playing an inspired cover of ‘Rip It Up’ by Orange Juice. Last song of the night, ‘Underdog (Save Me)’, opens with a ragged, almost reggae like beat, only to erupt into an all-out rock affair. Laden with heavy bass grooves and a frenetic burst of a drum solo, these final flourishes seem so far removed from the band’s Mercury nominated debut. But then again, Turin Brakes have always been a band eager to explore their sonic capabilities.