I’ve wanted to see Mutes for a while now and especially as they will be releasing their fourth album`…buried where you stand` next month. This evenings set included the thumping `Televangelist`, more reflective `Barely Living Proof` and hypnotic and screamed `Mere Slaughter` all cuts from the forthcoming release in this well received set. What I witnessed veered from at times speed metal, blended with prog rock to a total wall of controlled noise. I suppose Can is the nearest kind of band that sounds similar. The band are back at the Hare and Hounds on 22nd May for their album launch.
After Omni released their fourth album `Souvenir` in February this Georgia trio arrive in Birmingham to promote said release after a brief tour of North America. There’s little fuss as the band hit the stage and start the set with an older number `Supermoon` before sharing `Granite Kiss` an astronomical love story from the latest release.
We enjoy tracks from across all four albums with songs like the quirky `Moat`, fast paced `Equestrian`, bass led robust and heavy `Earrings`, and rumbling questioning `Plane`.
But for me it was tracks from the new release that I was more familiar and enjoyed with such as `Exacto`, the swaying INTL Waters and anxious `Common Mistakes`.
The set closed out with a couple of older numbers `After Dinner`, and the angular `Wire`, along with the recent oddly alluring `Compliment` and finally my favourite the enticing earworm that is `Plastic Pyramid`. Izzy Glaudini of Automatic shares vocals on the record but drummer Chris Yonker filled in ably tonight. This trio of guitarist Frankie Broyles, singer/bassist Philip Frobos, and drummer Chris Yonker, managed to blast through about seventeen songs in around an hour.
Tonight’s show was to me, off kilter, quirky, at times unconventional and slightly perplexing but overall delightful and wonderfully engaging. The only band that I felt that have come close to what these guys offered us this evening was Devo and i`m sure the majority of this evening’s intimate audience may never have heard of them.
Omni are band that deserve wider recognition.
