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Review by Heather Metherell |
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My Computer, Barfly, Camden
I'VE always been a bit wary of bands that rely heavily on synthesisers
and pre-recorded material, especially when playing live. Luckily, in the past,
I've been pleasantly surprised by dance acts such as Groove Armada, who successfully
combined the live and recorded components of their music to create an exciting
live experience. The same could not be said of My Computer, at their
gig on November 12.
There's no doubt that these musicians take their material seriously. Their
album is a carefully considered, perhaps over-worked, attempt to push musical
boundaries.
Unfortunately, it turns out more like a hotchpotch of musical styles, glued
together by ridiculous amounts of vocal synthesis. It's not easy listening
when you're sitting in the comfort of your own home, with easy access to the
skip button, but when you've stood through an hour and a half of boring support
acts; it really does grate on your nerves.
Despite this, it seems they have a healthy fan base, and the tiny venue, above
The Monarch pub in Camden, was packed by the time the band arrived on stage.
Just like their music, they're a mixed lot, looking rather like a bunch of
scientists with a token boy band member thrown in for good measure. There
was an overwhelming amount of computer equipment on stage, and the band members
picked their way across the maze of synthesisers to take their seats, before
beginning 'All I Ever Really Wanted Was a Good Time', the first track
from their debut album, Vulnerabilia.
There was something faintly amusing about watching the group looking serious
and theatrical while punching at their keyboards with two fingers. The overuse
of vocal synthesis in all of the tracks makes for a boring live performance,
particularly as, much of the time, the lead vocalist is waiting for his synthesised
equivalent to shut up so he could start singing.
The title track, Vulnerabilia, went down particularly well. This is
probably the most commercial sounding track from the album and it got the
crowd dancing and moving about. It has an upbeat feel and a pleasant guitar
loop, although the lyrics are typically gloomy.
The track that really stands out, as the low point of the evening, was Magic
Flat, with its silly lyrics, such as 'magic bus, magic bus please come
for us', cheesy dance beat and more vocoder than even Cher could handle.
More than anything, I felt that this band were taking themselves too seriously.
There is a lot of musical talent and knowledge involved in creating an album
with so many different musical styles, but there is nothing more irritating
than a musician who looks like the last place they want to be is on stage,
playing for their fans.
I admire My Computer for trying something different, and their album, Vulnerabilia,
certainly doesn't shy away from experimentation.
That said, they need to work on finding a way to interpret their sound live.
Perhaps they need to assess exactly where they are going with their music
before they can do this; as things stands, it's a safer bet to stick to the
CD.
RELATED LINKS: Click here
for the band's official website...
Click here for the 13 Amp
website...
RELATED STORIES: Click here
for Indielondon's verdict on the debut album...