Bio

Last Days of Lorca wasted no time launching into a blistering set that had me out of my seat and nodding along furiously. This tight, polished four piece have a military precision to their political subject matter and undisguised scorn for war-mongering leaders and environmental fallout. At least this is the distinct impression given by the flickering cinefilm running through the entire set. Beautifully edited to alternate uncomfortably between the sublime and the grotesque, the cinematography is the perfect foil to the jittery fractious riffs. The film and subject matter is reminiscent of Hope of the States, but the guitar-fuelled thrashing passion of the music owes more to System of a Down. Last Days of Lorca play with dazzling precision and style - like a tightly coiled spring held strainingly in check. The bassist's deft fingers dance along the strings, while the drummer punishes the drums like a well controlled chemistry experiment. If Radiohead had more gusto, this is what Pablo Honey might've sounded like. Last Days of Lorca steer clear of any contrived song structure, preferring instead to skip around an obvious chorus in series of playful yet dangerous riffs. They don't make the fatal mistake of all playing at once, but give the illusion of the music taking its own course. Forgive the simile overload, but it's like a fast-moving spider entangling you in its web. You're hooked before you realise it. Lead singer, Pete Lambrou, speaks little between songs and the lyrics themselves are muffled and inaudible. Sporting 'Byron' on the back of his football shirt, one suspects the words have a poetry to them that seems fittingly inaccessible. The band's dry, deadpan reserve means the set starts to drag a little towards the end. Taking the music seriously is commendable, but any live set needs a bit of audience interaction. Momentum is restored in one of the final tracks of the night; "Big Green Parcel Machine", which bounds along apace with ever-changing funky bass and militant drums. The screen quivers with Leonardo da Vinci's drawings of the human anatomy as the song weaves and twists its way over new tempos, loaded pauses and melodic harmonies. Mesmerising. The Mag review 13/02/07 Carling Bar Academy Islington http://www.the-mag.me.uk