late of THE pier, video nasties

Video Nasties open tonight, bringing that familiar spiky art rock guitar sound we’re so endeared to, and they capably plough through with the usual complacent competency. However, their low-fi sound comes across as clinical; it’s been carefully engineered to give them that twee C-86 feel. Without their effects, Video Nasties amount to little more than yet another adequate but expendable Britpop effort.As pupils roll back and forth like lonely marbles, LOTP arrive with the kind of joie de vivre you tend to find striding around a nightclub restroom. Nonetheless they rush forth with the 80s glam of ‘Space and The Woods’. Whilst synth muse Sam Potter bashes back and forth like snapped elastic, lead singer Sam Eastgate’s slender, sonorous tones make Gary Numan look like Joanna Newsom. Later on, the brazen pop of ‘Bathroom Gurgle’ propels Eastgate’s vocals to dizzying heights, and their fandom follows suit. The undeniable, unquenchable enthusiasm of the band sometimes fails to distract from the fact that a considerate portion of their material is fairly drab. By contrast, certain tunes like ‘The Bears are Coming’ bubble with innovation. The song is a fortunate closer as the neon nonsense and PCP poetry threatens to grow a little stale. You can’t deny LOTP their dues. Their friendly reposts and exploratory essence make this evening a marvel and a success. Despite their shortcomings Late of The Pier have already reached the port.