The Shortwave Set / Islington Academy, London
Stylish Shortwave Set for success
Words Jim Delirious
There’s a picture on The Shortwave Set’s MySpace of one of their two singers, Ulrika, on a stony beach. The caption reads: “Ulrika collects some pebbles for that evening’s Razorlight gig.”
Good job, and that certainly tells you something about this south London’s band attitude towards generic indie, and perhaps even modern music altogether. Their sound is a whirly sixties concoction - mildly psychedelic but rooted in pop. Not, then, Dirty Water Club-like garage rock, and not Thirteenth Floor Elevators-style freak-out music. Ulrika provides a strong feminine touch and their songs are carefully and precisely structured.
Don’t know them? You will soon, because they’ve got a killer second album coming out soon, Replica Sun. See how the headlines will be stolen by Danger Mouse (who produced it) and Brian Wilson collaborator Van Dyke Parks and the Velvet Underground’s John Cale (who both worked on it), but hear also this lyric from the album’s lead single, ‘No Social’: “Everyone knows that a dog dressed in clothes is still a dog.” In the case of The Shortwave Set, that dog writes great songs. Do they stand up played live? Do we have The Big Three to thank for the quality of Replica Sun or were they just polishing golden raw material?
First thing, nice set-up. Ulrika, total babe, stage right; t’other singer, Andrew, great suit, stage left; rest of the band behind them. Impossible not to love exchanging girl-boy vocals and it worked a treat tonight.
Interestingly, they only played one song from their debut, which they introduced with some sarcasm. Everything else was pure Replica Sun and it sounded as gorgeous played live as it does recorded. They’re a well-oiled, stylish and professional machine, and they know how to perform.
Set closer, ‘Ultra Violet’, sealed this great show. Sexier and more chaotic than it is on the album, it left you wondering quite why this band are a secret, and convinced that they won’t be for much longer.
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