In my last article looking back on Digital & Music Matters in Singapore (there’s a pile of interviews still to come!), I’m going to take you back to the Beer Garden, the concept bar where we also spent our Wednesday evening for the annual Aussie BBQ. On Friday, the venue a showcase of bands from all corners of the globe, including my personal highlight of the whole week, New York’s The London Souls, pictured above, and two others I managed to catch.
First up were a pop/rock band from Latvia who go by the name of Prata Vetra, who ended up being one of the most talked about bands of the weeks. That’s not just because you rarely see a band from Latvia – though it no doubt helps – but they were a damn fine outfit, too. They featured some great bass, tight melodies and even a marriage proposal for a Singapore based Latvian, which you can see below! Their shirts spelt out “WILL YOU MARRY ME?”. Nawww. Prata Vetra were reminiscent of Dappled Cities, so if you’re a fan of the Sydney group, this is definitely a band worth checking out.
Next up, Guntzepaula, a rock and roll three piece from Taiwan, were musically impressive, though their music didn’t stick with you – but with heavy bass and distorted vocals, I imagine it’s just not engineered in that way. Though they take themselves seriously, musically they reminded me a bit of Ween. I hope that’s not taken the wrong way as I consider Ween to be masters of their craft. Definitely an interesting band, especially considering their origins!
But it was the emerging rock two piece out of New York, The London Souls, who were my highlight of the entire week at Music Matters – and very much the reason I left this article to last. Featuring a massive sound that gives them the feel of a four piece, huge hair and the vibrant energy of a band like DFA1979, this duo is quite unlike any I’ve ever seen. I may use DFA1979 as a seemingly lazy reference, but do note they are at quite a distance musically.
There is a lot of blues in there and a LOT of The Beatles… Take The Black Keys, add in Gary Clark Jr and all the great rock music from the 60s and you have a bit of an idea of what the band are all about. For me, they were the perfect articulation of everything that’s great about rock and roll. Raw, unabashed energy, great riffs, harmonies (yes, they both sing – you can see them in the above two photos on guitar and drums) and beats you can dance so hard to you’ll break the floor. Or at the very least head bang with style. In lieu of all the more ‘alternative’ music that I praise, at the end of the day I’m a rock and roller at heart; I grew up on the same music these guys did, and few have presented it better. I’ll be keeping a VERY close eye on these guys. Any fans of the same sort of music should do the same…
Words & Photos by Larry Heath / Except: Photos of The London Souls by Johnny Au.
