Uncategorisable and unpredictable they maybe, yet Getintothis’ Dan Byrne is under no illusions as to where his feelings lie with Three Trapped Tigers and Liverpool’s Jazz Hands.
Sitting down in Bold Street Coffee trying to explain Three Trapped Tigers‘ sound to a mate who has never heard of them is a difficult proposition.
‘Kind of noise rock,’ was the inadequate first stab, before being qualified with ‘but there is more to it than that, its probably a bit cleverer and there are some lovely synth sounds too‘…
Not fitting into a genre has not deterred the punters though; great album reviews and a breathtaking live show at this year’s Sound City ensured a good crowd and sense of anticipation filled The Hold downstairs at The Shipping Forecast.
The pick of the support bands are Jazz Hands. Percussive, bolshy and, as their name suggests, containing a hefty wallop of jazz running through their set. There’s an endearing energy and an almost frenzied vigour throughout and at times it’s hard to be sure what direction things are going in.
But then it’s hard to discern if we’re supposed to – there is a feeling with Jazz Hands that they are enjoying unpredictability of it all and that the audience are just along for the ride.
Route One Or Die, Three Trapped Tigers‘ album that is, not Tony Pulis‘ footballing philosophy – is one of the most interesting albums of 2011.
Full of layers and with an almost architectural complexity to the synth parts; an overwhelming feeling of curiosity pervades as to how it will translate in the live arena. The answer was brilliantly.
TTT may not be natural showmen, but their music has more than enough flair to compensate. The complexity was there, as lofty and soaring in the Shipping Forecast basement as on record but if this was sublime then the guitar work pulled TTT’s set back to were it belonged.
For all of the technical excellency of their playing skills, Three Trapped Tigers are essentially music to dance to and it is the guitar part which resolves so many layers of thoughtful ambience into pop hooks and turns a highly skilled curiosity of an act into a band worth watching out for and deserving of all the acclaim given.
Pictures by David Howarth.
Daniel Byrne is editor of new Liverpool football/culture magazine Spiel.
