Broadcast is a rare and
precious band. Hailing from Birmingham, Broadcast, formed
of Trish Keenan (vocals), Roj Stevens (keyboards), James
Cargill (bass), Tim Felton (guitar) and Steve Perkins
(drums), first appeared on Wurlitzer Jukebox back in
1996 with their first EP, Accidentals. Within
a year, they had released two more EPs on Duophonic,
collected on Work & Non Work, released
on Warp, in 1997. It would take nearly three years for
Echo’s Answer, their next EP, to be released,
shortly followed by the band’s first album, The
Noise Made By People, and three more EPs. This
profusion of EPs has shown that, far from being a simple
tool to promote their albums, they are actually a platform
for the band to explore and take their sound to uneasy
territories. Broadcast’s intimate experimental
pop is fuelled with references to the work of the seminal
BBC Radiophonic Workshop, Enio Morricone or John Barry.
Often associated with Stereolab in the early days, the
sound of the band has developed considerably since.
Emerging from two years of near complete silence, Broadcast,
now formed of just Keenan, Cargil and Felton, with the
addition of Neil Bullock on drums and ex-Plone Billy
Brainbridge on keyboard, have been active touring a
lot over the last sixth months, with a string of dates
in the US and the UK, ahead of the release of their
forthcoming album, Haha Sound, due out in August.
Coming to the end of their UK tour, Broadcast returned
to London for an evening at the University of London
Union, situated in the heart of the British capital’s
student quarter.
Previewing tracks from Haha Sound, as well
as playing songs from their recent Pendulum
EP and older records, Broadcast performed in front of
a packed venue. Trish, looking stunning in a sixties-inspired
blue dress, her face frame with long jet-black hair,
took to the front of the stage while the rest of the
band took their places. Kicking off with a short song,
the band went on to play the excellent title track from
the Pendulum EP, followed by a series of new
songs. Building on the sound of The Noise Made By
People, these new songs had a familiar touch, yet
appeared more intricate and complex. Slipping into Come
On Let’s Go, one of their best known songs,
Broadcast, obviously at ease with their set, were providing
the crowd with a point of reference in their work. Alternating
between known songs, crispy instrumentals and new compositions,
the band’s performance obviously pleased the crowd.
Concluding with Drums On Fire, a live favourite,
and Illumination, from the band’s Extended
Play 2, the band returned for an encore with an
extended version of Unchanging Windows and
an impressive slow-building incendiary instrumental.
Visibly pleased with the reception given to them by
the crowd, the band gave a confident performance, with
a good mix of old and new material. Although Trish's
vocal style often appears lazy or blasé, her
voice has grown more confidant, while the band’s
new compositions shown a great maturity in arrangements
and melody. That night, Broadcast proved that their
long awaited return was not going to disappoint. |
