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Arriving at the door
of the Oxford Art Factory only to be redirected to a growing line on the opposite side of
the entrance was a slight surprise. The sold out album launch for Cloud Control
was evident from the outset with fans waiting in a procession outside the venue.
Fortunately, the queue moved quickly enough; the brisk evening air snapping
only briefly at exposed arms and legs before being denied bare skin as music
revellers entered.
On the other side of
the double glass doors, Guineafowl
welcomed the crowd with catchy hooks and thumping beats. Bouncing about on
stage with as much energy as the small platform would permit without maiming
body parts, the six-piece were thoroughly enjoyable to watch, smiles plastered
on faces. Their jubilant vibe was infectious. “Little Fingers” was a definite
crowd pleaser. A nice solo midway through the song provided ample opportunity
for the guitarist to exert his enthusiasm. Banging synth notes and upbeat
percussions make for a buoyant electronic track that charmed the audience.
“Botanist” combines the soft trills of vocalist Douglas Thompson with another
great synth beat. Handclaps are laced in segments throughout the song which had
listeners relaying the action. Guineafowl are a harmonious playing bunch with
well-orchestrated percussions, appealing guitar hooks and echoing vocals. Their
set was tight and well executed.
A dysfunctional crew
of awkward longhaired boys from Sydney, Richard
In Your Mind brought a different vibe to the OAF. Despite stumbling over
words in their introduction, their shy and reserved demeanour was not apparent
in the tunes. Psychedelic riffs amidst warped guitars and synths transported
audiences to a different mental plane. Stage lights swirling green and blue
only augmented the drug-induced sensation. “Make It Chill” has a banging retro
hip-hop beat fused with a stray bass line, reminiscent of a warm, lazy Sunday
in the 90s where sweat beads and melted ice cream dropped like bullets onto
sizzling porch verandas. “I Will” continues with the carefree vibe; harmonious
vocals, plucky guitar stings and acoustics exude a mellow, almost tropical,
feel. The boys spoke intermittently between songs: of their nerves, of their
tracks, and of their new album held back from release due to certain protocols.
In response, a sentimental “fuck the system” escaped from the lips of coy frontman, Richard Cartwright, egged on ever so subtly by fellow bassist, Conrad Richters. Richard In
Your Mind sees to your laid-back tunes and raises you a suave psychedelic card.
An interesting and unique fusion of exotic sounds.
Cloud Control are a
delectable four-piece from the Blue Mountains who, despite being around for
many years, continue to possess that fresh-faced persona. Like spritely
gazelles, they gambolled on stage and kick started their set with “There’s
Nothing In The Water We Can’t Fight”, upbeat melodies and sweet tambourine
shakes aurally satisfying listeners. “Gold Canary” saw Alister Wright’s strong
vocals taking charge of the opening lines accompanied by a single kick drum,
slowly building up to the tender chorus whereby the song washed over the
audience with its warm delight. “Meditation Song #2 (Why, Oh Why)” began with
simple acoustics before upping the ante with a resounding drum beat and
handclaps, the crowd becoming increasingly mesmerised by the Why, Oh Why’s that
followed in quick succession before a warped guitar solo breakdown. The latest
single “This Is What She Said” with a cheeky bass line and light-hearted melody
substantiated the band’s ease on stage. There were beaming grins, playful
laughter and, at one stage, a slight pause and exchange of amused expressions during an awkward key
change.
After a brief
intermission, Cloud Control returned with “Hollow Drums”, a slow duet between Wright and Heidi Lenferr. Calling
for quiet, the pair soothed souls and sedated spectators with soft vocals
accompanied by a lone acoustic guitar. Lenferr continued to showcase her sublime pipes with “Beast
Of Love”, another acoustically driven track chaperoned by distant drumming. The
standout performance of the night was “Ghost Story”, a more rock-orientated
song and the edgiest off their LP. Wright brought the brash and the brunt with
powerful vocal work, yelling down the microphone with musical precision,
standing on the speakers amidst roars of delight from the audience. The band continued in a similar vein, polishing off “Death Cloud” and crowd
favourite “Vintage Books” with the same musical craftsmanship that left listeners
appeased, energy never wavering. “Buffalo Country” rounded out the set with
lashings of drumbeats and leading guitar picking out quaint chords.
Cloud
Control dominated the venue with their warm stage presence and fond,
sumptuous melodies. Their ability to recreate the harmonious and sonically pleasing
beats off their LP in a live environment speaks volumes of their artistic
prowess. Having supported Vampire Weekend on their Australian tour, the fresh-faced four-piece are well and truly out of the mountains
now, bringing with them the sweet, sweet sounds of the forest and leaving dazed and aurally satiated townsfolk in the wake of their earthly footsteps.
