My New Favourite Band

Last week I read somewhere that Greg Dulli and the Afghan Whigs had recorded a live session for KEXP and it was now on YouTube. As this would be one of the first live performances by the band in a long time I headed straight over to check it out. It was better than I expected with Dulli on top form. I have seen him several times over the years with the Twilight Singers, The Gutter Twins and on his own but I have never witnessed the Afghan Whigs and watching the live performance on YouTube has got me looking forward to the gig at Oran Mor even more than I already had been.

Anyway, on to my latest discovery. I'm not sure why I clicked on the link half way down the right hand side for Lucius live at KEXP as I had never heard of them but I am incredibly glad I did for I discovered a band that has gotten me very excited. I watched the full performance, loving the harmonies of the two singers who looked like twin sister with their matching outfits and hair dos.

Afterwards it, a Google search was conducted and I found that they had released their first album. Widewoman only last month in the UK and duly purchased it. I then read the Guardian's review of the album, the lead didn't inspire much confidence "catchy 60s style pop, beautifully sung but ultimately unconvincing" I read on and as the review progressed wondered if I had been listening to the same group or whether the KEXP performance was completely different to how they sounded in the studio. I especially baulked at the sentence "Wildewoman and Tempest sound faintly familiar like Hiam or Florence Welch covering Mumford and Sons while shooting for festival anthem territory" I fucking hate Mumford and Sons and nearly cancelled the album right there and then but thought they can't be that different on record surely? I went back and listened to the KEXP performance again and decided I was right the first time.

The following day the album arrived, Juno really do give a great service and that's been it, it has taken up residence on the turntable. I still haven't gotten round to listening to the Larry Heard or Afghan Whigs albums yet and the only reason that I have heard Imelda May's latest offering as it is on cd and I listened to it on the laptop while working yesterday. I think that Tshepo Mokoena, the Guardian reviewer needs to get her ears cleaned out as their is absolutely fuck all unconvincing about this album. It is filled with lovely songs exquisitely sung and played.

You can check out the KEXP performance here, it's well worth it.

Lucius - Wildewoman