Joe Lean & The Jing Jang Jong / Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh
Joe Lean so poor crowd wish Lucio really would start a fire
Words Andy Kerr
As months go, January is the worst. It’s dark, wet and littered with broken resolutions. In terms of music it’s quiet, so attention tends to focus on predictions for the year ahead as journalists wheel out their ‘ones to watch’ lists.
Managing to make many a 2008 Top 10 is Joe Lean & the Jing Jang Jong, another in the long and ever-growing line of post-Libertines bands aiming to take over where Pete and Carl left off.
The five-piece is the brainchild of part-time actor and former Pipette drummer Joe Van Moyland who, under the guise Joe Lean, is attempting to strut and posture his way into the hearts and minds of Indieville UK.
Sadly, like so many bands that find themselves signed to a major after a suspiciously short space of time, these wannabes have struggled to convince thus far. Circulation-impeding trousers - check. Imaginatively-teased hair - check. Comedy winkle-pickers - check. But the music, lyrics and originality boxes remain empty as… Debut single, ‘Lucio Starts Fires’, aside, this was to be a distinctly forgettable evening of bog-standard skinny indie, sorry skindie.
Before a chord was struck there was a distinct air of expectancy among the crowd. Shoehorned into the basement venue, it required great flexibility to actually catch sight of the band as they launched into instrumental opener ‘Tough Terrible’. But as the set wore on the crowd notably thinned and interest in the quintet’s exploits waned.
Throughout, Lean showed just why he was drummer/actor first and frontman third. He looks the part, but his best attempts to whip us into a frenzy failed to provoke any noticeable effect.
On ‘Dear Rose’, it was hard not to feel a bit embarrassed as his constant attempts at instigating some crowd-band interaction were met with a stony resistance from all but the small pocket of sympathisers down the front. ‘Baby’ brought proceedings to a close in suitably ramshackle fashion, but the song’s non-descript melody, coupled with the band’s messy delivery, ensured the majority of the crowd didn’t hang around for an encore. Thankfully, neither did the band.
