poppedmusic

Fatherson

Fatherson

Words: Gary Lambert

Photos: Gaz Jones

What did you do on Valentine’s Night? An overpriced Lovers’ Special from the local steakhouse with a beloved was not on the cards for all of Popped Music. Instead it was Arts Club Liverpool and a double bill of Scottish rock music from Fatherson and Boy Jumps Ship getting our attention in the most glorious of way.

Boy Jumps Ship shocked me like an engagement ring hidden at the bottom of a Knickerbocker Glory with an aural assault that mixed power, volume and pop sensibilities in a manner which does not come easy to bands from these shores, but happens in abundance and with no shame across the Atlantic. Indeed as they played I was reminded of several North American bands such as Sum 41 in their use of several vocalists at once to add depth to their sound as well as early period versions of Fall Out Boy and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. It was a rare treat, even though the loft at Arts Club generally does not suit bands this hard. I cannot wait to see Boy Jumps Ship at a smaller, sweatier venue soon.

Headline act, Glasgow’s Fatherson provided a more honed offering than the openers. Whilst still keeping the hard and loud modus operandi of the evening, the vocals of singer Ross Leighton took us away from the basements of rock clubs and into the vastness of the Highlands like a surprise weekend away. With intonations and lilts more suited to folk songs turned up to eleven, it works with the glorious noise provided by bassist Marc Strain and the beardless drummer, Greg Walkinshaw, to create a soundscape as tall as Ben Nevis and as colourful as the heather. I know I am hitting the Scottish references in a fashion called overly cheesy, but there is no way to avoid how wonderfully Scottish Fatherson sound. Like Glasvegas without the doom.

Fatehrson

There was a missing ingredient though in the night. Whilst they have a set filled with soaring pieces of beauty, the band are without an earworm, like a cheap bottle of Mezcal. It is brilliant for sitting in the corner being enveloped by the sound and noise, but to move out of the loft and into the big room we need something more. Especially with how anthemic Fatherson are in their sound. It is made for strings, fields and choruses being bellowed into the night. This three piece only needs “the one” to catapult. The audience was captivated throughout the night, we just need more audience.

All in all Valentine’s Night’s action was loud, hard and left a big enough smile on my face without any pink plastic ornaments or fake roses in sight.