REGRESSIVE LEFT + WATERBABY – THE PRINCE ALBERT, BRIGHTON 4.10.22
Band on the up, Regressive Left, which features Simon Tyrie (lead vocals. synthesizers), Will Crosby (guitar, vocals) and Georgia Hardy (drums, vocals), were back in action in Brighton this evening, when they rocked on up at The Prince Albert courtesy of local promoters Love Thy Neighbour.
London based dance-punk Regressive Left were previously in Brighton as part of the ‘Mutations Festival’ on 7th November last year and then returned on 12th March this year when they supported Bodega at The Prince Albert. They then drove back down the A23 on 14th May as part of The Great Escape with performances at Revenge and The Hope & Ruin.
They are certainly climbing up the music ladder as they are now playing their first headline gig in town, as part of their 10-date UK tour in support of their excellent debut ‘On The Wrong Side Of History’ EP, which dropped on 15th July on Bad Vibrations Records. It was recorded in Sheffield over an intense 5-day spell with in-demand producer Ross Orton (Arctic Monkeys, MIA, Amyl And The Sniffers).
In many ways ‘On The Wrong Side Of History’ is a time capsule of the maelstrom of ideas that got the group to this point in the first place – the infuriating, bleak political climate, and the urge to find escapism from it – consigned to vinyl in one herculean effort. Taking influence from the booming post-punk, funk and disco scenes of New York, Regressive Left’s sound is stark and danceable. Angular guitar scratches meet dirty synth basslines, whilst Simon Tyrie’s David Byrne/Edwyn Collins croon is chased around by effervescent drums. The banal horror of life in Tory Britain expressed with sharp and dry wit, and then set to truly barnstorming and infectious dance music. The ‘On The Wrong Side Of History’ EP arrived following a trio of acclaimed singles (‘Eternal Returns’, ‘Take the Hit’, ‘Cream Militia’).
Regressive Left’s intro tape started exactly 30 minutes after their support (‘Waterbaby’ see below) had vacated The Prince Albert stage. The trio’s eleven tune performance lasted 48 minutes until their all-too-soon departure at 10:18pm. The equipment of choice consisted of a rather wonderful Novation with its powerful synth sound, a Moog Minitaur Bass Synthesizer, plus an Akai unit, along with drums and Gretsch Electromatic guitar with no less than fifteen accompanying foot pedals. Interestingly, Simon placed another Gretsch guitar to the rear of the stage, but I certainly can’t recall him or his chums ever using it! Maybe this would have been used on the two unplayed tunes shown on the setlist, which were ‘Prospects’ and ‘Eternal Returns’.
Lead vocalist Simon, cuts a slender figure (damn him!) and his whole demeanour oozes everything David Byrne! His voice delivery sounds just like the Talking Heads frontman and his animated expressive hands and bouncy dance delivery also does. This was something that two of my friends also separately picked up on – it must be a much mentioned comparison then. A good comparison in my eyes! Georgia added the occasional vocal delivery, which I thought was always a little low in the mix if I’m being honest, and axeman Will Crosby appears to certainly know a thing or two about his guitar and it’s ample use of foot pedals, as well as throwing in a few rock moves, as he’s a rather animated fellow. Will also adds backing vocals when required.
They opened with the 2021 single, ‘Cream Militia’, which had a backbeat that somehow reminds me of ‘The Lebanon’ by The Human League. This is followed by an unreleased number called ‘Serious Things’ which has a Talking Heads vocal style and beat as well as some impressive guitar work and poses courtesy of Mr Crosby. This segues directly into the first of all four numbers of the ‘On The Wrong Side Of History’ EP, namely ‘World On Fire’.
Another unrecorded track follows. This is titled ‘Parish Council’ and is a slower number and the vocal delivery reminded me of Bryan Ferry, especially when delivering “the party is over”. The second number from the EP is next, in the form of ‘No More Fun’, which again gives a nod to Talking Heads, but also reminded me of Japan’s later work, circa 1980 to 1982.
Tune of the whole experience for me was given an outing next, this being the lead track from the 12” EP, ‘The Wrong Side of History’, which is seven and three-quarter minutes of pure epic-ness! It’s a tune that has been on virtual continual repeat since I first encountered it in the summer. I hadn’t picked up on this until watching this live version, but the sound is rather similar to what Blancmange are currently offering us, in terms of the vocal style and the beat. There’s even a ‘Born To Be Alive’ (Patrick Hernandez, 1978) guitar riff thrown in too, and the very end brought back memories of The Clangers. It was worth coming out tonight for just this tune.
The third of five unreleased tunes was served next in the form of ‘The Itch’, which again has a David Sylvian (Japan) style vocal delivery. ‘Never Change’, (another unrecorded tune) was up next. This has a more boppy electro feel on the backbeat and at times sounding not unlike Soft Cell’s ‘Sex Dwarf’. ‘Prospects’ was omitted from the set, but it was in brackets’ so maybe that was the plan, and thus the young trio swiftly moved onto an unreleased drumming lead tune referred to as ‘MD’. That might well be its title, or it could stand for something else eg ‘Managing Director’, but somehow I don’t think it could be that. This number has the feel of a lost 1980’s classic and Simon gave his Novation a good old caning during this track. But not as much as East India Youth did to his Novation when I saw him on Pentonville Road in London on 6th February 2014 at The Lexington, when he smashed it up – an expensive business! Interestingly, Regressive Left are to play the same venue on Thursday 20th October – Grab your tickets HERE.
‘MD’ segued straight into the faster 2021 ‘Take The Hit’ single, which was to be their penultimate number. The trio signed off with the final cut from ‘On The Wrong Side Of History’ EP, in the form of ‘Bad Faith’, which was yet another very Talking Heads sounding composition. Sadly they didn’t perform the encore tune ‘Eternal Returns’, but on questioning the band, apparently they rarely do, but a list of their performance two days before at Bedford Esquires, suggests that they did play it. Maybe they shouted louder and longer than we did.
Apparently there were two unclaimed (or possibly unsold) tickets on the night and thus almost a sell-out performance, but judging by this evening’s events, I would surmise that they might very well require a larger venue on their next Brighton performance, especially if they drop an album.
Regressive Left are for fans of Talking Heads, Working Men’s Club, PVA and Nation Of Language!
Regressive Left are:
Simon Tyrie – lead vocals. synthesizers
Georgia Hardy – drums, vocals
Will Crosby – guitar, vocals
Regressive Left setlist:
‘Cream Militia’ (from 2021 ‘Cream Militia’ single)
‘Serious Things’ (unreleased)
‘World On Fire’ (from 2022 ‘On The Wrong Side Of History’ EP)
‘Parish Council’ (unreleased)
‘No More Fun’ (from 2022 ‘On The Wrong Side Of History’ EP)
‘The Wrong Side of History’ (from 2022 ‘On The Wrong Side Of History’ EP)
‘The Itch’ (unreleased)
‘Never Change’ (unreleased)
‘MD’ (unreleased)
‘Take the Hit’ (from 2021 ‘Take The Hit’ single)
‘Bad Faith’ (from 2022 ‘On The Wrong Side Of History’ EP)
Check out Regressive Left on their Bandcamp page HERE.
Support this evening came in the form of Waterbaby who are Martha and Jessica Kilpatrick. This duo have been quiet, mystical forces in the underground London scene for the past few years, emerging in and out of the sanctuary of their studio to perform their hypnotic live show with artists as varied as Kedr Livansky, audiobooks, and Dorian Electra. Much like the entirety of their output, their public performances are non-conforming, visual experiences composed of punchy electronic soundscapes and siren-esque vocals.
Waterbaby’s insular and feminine sonic world showcases inventive song structures backed by dizzying layers of production – all crafted on their stash of lost and found analogue gear. In a world where the analogue and the digital seem to be in constant headlock, Waterbaby effortlessly solve the equation. The music operates in a space where a Cocteau Twins-esque anachronism meets the sharper edge of Oneohtrix Point Never or Laurel Halo’s contemporary experimental electronica.
Martha and Jessica take to The Prince Albert stage at 8:32pm and mesmerise the growing number of punters during their 28 minute set, until the clock strikes 9pm. The electronic equipment on offer is compact, but certainly packs a punch, especially the Roland SP-404SX Linear Wave Sampler, which fills the room with heavy bass, notably mostly on tune two ‘Tangerine’. There is another set of knobs to twiddle on a different device, plus a compact Korg keyboard. Martha is the main vocalist of the duo with her almost soprano delivery, but Jessica often adds her’s atop for a real 3D type effect. There is also a trio of preset control boxes on the floor. There are no guitars, bass and drums in the Waterbaby world.
During their intriguing, absorbing and let’s face it enjoyable seven number set, Martha would often crouch down in a kneeling position on the floor, which wasn’t ideal if you were at the back of the venue, we weren’t though. Both vocals were set to echo mode and were accompanied by ethereal sounds akin to the likes of Enya and the most atmospheric Grimes. A majority of the tracks flowed into each other thus negating the need for applause.
The longer the duo performed for, the busier the venue became. It’s a shame that they all weren’t there at the beginning, but I guess jobs and travel negates this. And so in summing up, this was sea siren’s music that should be sung to Narwhal in the deserted Arctic waters around Greenland. If I’d had the guts, I should have simply sat down on the floor (or pushing my luck, laid down) and closed my eyes and floated off with dreams of the aurora borealis.
Waterbaby are:
Martha Kilpatrick – main vocals
Jessica Kilpatrick – keys, live electronics, backing vocals
Waterbaby setlist:
‘Intro’
‘Tangerine’
‘No caller id’
‘Butterfly House’
‘Thin Air’
‘Spiral’
‘I Don’t Want To Sing I Don’t Want To Look’
