aaamusic | On 04, Oct 2010

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London, 28th September

Wild Palms hit Shoreditch with half an hour of absolute greatness. The Chatham and Southgate four-piece on stage displays seven songs that represent a compendium of indie rock of the latest five years.

Wild Palms are extremely talented and know how to spread energy around the venue. Their sound is a blend of the highest shoegaze and indie-postpunk-nurave-ish beats a la Foals (first albums) or Friendly Fires.

Nonetheless, the band has its own original touch, with the overwhelming voice of Lou Hill and the technical mastery of Darrell, Gareth and James.

The gig starts with “To the Lighthouse” and “Draw in light” the next two singles: the Horrors (second album) meet Interpol, revisited in orthodox shoegaze a la LSD and the search of God, and sweetened by a Silversun Pickups’ touch.

The first half of the gig is a wall of distorted sound we climb with enchant and frenzy, reaching the peaks of “Caretaker” and “Pale Fire”, that sound as Manic Street Preachers on lysergic substances.

“Carnations” acts as a clear dividing line introducing us to the more playful aspect of Wild Palms, where Lou’s warbles and trills become epic, almost baroque, and the references to Foals and Friendly Fires are clear. May’s single “Deep Dive” is the best example of this aspect, as the concluding “Delight in Temptation”.

Wild Palms will be the act to watch out in 2011, and they’re already being rewarded for their talent: on the 5^th October they will support the Charlatans, for an event that’s going to be unmissable.

Author: Lorenzo Coretti

Photos: Laura Oliver