London’s Life In Film are of that new, bar has been raised, breed. Their dark pop, Kings of Leon style melodies are downcast, morose flirts with Nick Cave which invoke the feeling of being in the centre of a glitter war. They’re the lustrous recession musicians taking British pop away from disco tunes and towards dusty barroom dancefloors, circa Tamla Motown.
The band have obvious American roots with cosmic, albeit low-fi, country airs and graces; but being very well grounded in an equally as apparent English punk and new wave upbringing, alongside bands like Gang of Four, they’re the would-be staple of the arty elite.
Sounding like Life in Film can’t be easy though? one song you’re belting out anything the Followill brothers would be desirous of, and the next you’re paying homage to Tom Waits. It’s the kind of light and dark mind-f*ck that Radiohead used to do so, so well. It’s a balance that’s either painstakingly sought for, or in Life in Film’s case, a delightfully natural outcome of their communal, often contradictory, influences.
The fact this band is still in their infancy is a magnificent thought. Already they’ve found the formula, and once the ghosts of folk past have been blown from their sound, they’ve the chance to make some classic British anthems. Debut track ‘Sorry’ is already along those lines, arguably bogged down by what it’s “trying to be”; its thwarting yet cuddling melody is almost an anthology of modern music.
There’s no doubting these four lads have masses of talent, like a V8 engine, they’re just waiting for a chance to be let loose around Silverstone.
Samuel: Guitar, Vocals. / Edward: Guitar, Vocals. / Dominic: Bass Guitar, Vocals. / Micky: Drums, Vocals.
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