Tune-Yards, Trash Kit and Think About Life at Cargo 15th February 2010

Merrill Garbus aka tUnE-yArDs. Photo: Brian Doherty

Think about Life are a good time band. While their equally charming and chaotic musical palette of funk, electro and synth pop does have its moments, they simply don’t have enough to completely pull it off. It’s hard not to like front man Martin Cesar and co - their attempts at synchronised dancing, interacting warmly with the crowd and above all the energy they bring to their set deserves recognition and respect. Its just that tonight I don’t think its happening.

Think about Life at Cargo. Photo: Brian Doherty 15/02/2009

Trash Kit. Photo: Brian Doherty

Trash Kit is killer. Simple. 3 girls playing short punky irreverent songs fused with tight jerky African rhythms. With an upcoming record to be released by the nice folks at Upset the Rhythm, Trash Kit are reminiscent of The Slits in terms of inventiveness and sheer menace whilst also throwing nods to a rawer Bloc Party and the Minutemen. With their chat in between songs as longs as the songs themselves, Trash Kit are over before you know it. More music should sound like this.

Cargo is well and truly packed as Merrill Garbus aka tUnE-yArDs and bass player Nate take the stage. I’ve been backstage as they help each other with their face paint and to hear the vocal warm up in itself is a prelude of what is in store. Having released the understated Bird Brains record on 4AD last year, Tune Yards have been attracting quite a following. On the strength of this show it’s easy to see how. While onstage looping of vocals and music has become a common and integral part of many acts performances - seeing Merrill construct ‘Hatari’ live with it’s warbling, yodel like vocal is something to be cherished. Tune Yards music plays out like a musical montage - lo fi recordings full of dreamlike curiosity and colour. Tonight she is full of life giving us an awesome display of her vocal capabilities to complement the patchwork of drum loops and ukulele. By the end the crowd are overwhelmed - wondering what has just gone before them. It has been a beautiful and musically unparalled evening.

tUnE-yArDs will be back in the summer to a larger venue no doubt.

More photos from the gig are here.

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