SINEAD O’BRIEN + KRUSH PUPPIES – GREEN DOOR STORE, BRIGHTON 19.10.22
Sinead O’Brien arrives in Brighton at the Green Door Store to promote her debut album ‘Time Bend And Break The Bower’. Support comes from Krush Puppies, who, Spinal Tap-like, initially can’t find their way onto the stage. God knows what will happen if they ever find themselves playing arenas or stadia.
When Krush Puppies take the stage, there are only a handful of people in the live room, so the bassist effectively summons people in using a gloriously distorted satanic sounding mic. The music is dark with gothic overtones. The overall feeling is dark, uneasy and ever so slightly menacing.
The band are musically fluent. One of the guitarists also plays keyboards and bass. The bassist plays the flute. Indeed, the flute and keyboards give the music a slightly early 1970’s feel, whilst also sounding both modern and timeless. There is a great deal to interest the listener in this band’s music, and I look forward to seeing them again.
I had previously reviewed Dublin born but London based Sinead O’Brien at the ‘End Of The Road Festival’ in September, where she only had a half-hour slot. Tonight’s set is at least twice that long, so there is plenty more to get one’s teeth into. I have seen Sinead described as “a punk poetess”. I’m not entirely convinced by the punk part of this description, but there is no doubt whatsoever that Sinead’s lyrics absolutely constitute poetry.
With her band consisting of Julian Hanson on guitar and Oscar Robertson on drums, she presents a riveting and absorbing performance. Opening song ‘Pain Is The Fashion Of The Spirit’ is backed by sounds generated by Julian Hanson’s pedals. The band join in for the second song ‘End Of Days’. The music is part live and part sampled. The bass is entirely sampled, and there are electronic beats as well as the live drums. However, the band’s sound does not lack elasticity.
Unsurprisingly the bulk of tonight’s set comes from Sinead’s debut album ‘Time Bend And Break The Bower’. There are exceptions however: ‘Most Modern Painting’ and ‘Roman Ruins’ come from the ‘Drowning In Blessings’ EP released in 2020, and ‘Kid Stuff’ was a stand alone digital single released in 2021.
Sinead has an effects board for her mic, recognising that her voice is very much a musical instrument. When she moves onstage she does so in time to the rhythm of her words as much as to the rhythm of the music. She really doesn’t sound like anybody else, although I do hear occasional hints of late 1970’s Bowie.
Sinead O’Brien is a very commanding performer. It’s literally almost impossible to take your eyes off her. Her diction is perfect, and some of her lines just leap out at you. One that particularly drew my attention was “all times are difficult”. Sadly that’s probably true, only it wasn’t something that I’d actually thought about before. The lyrics and music are equally enthralling. There are some interesting and unexpected time signature changes. The music doesn’t stand still. Although she sounds nothing like her, Sinead oddly reminds me of Patti Smith. Yep, she really is that good.
So, what can I say? I wholeheartedly recommend, no – insist that you go out and buy Sinead’s album. If you crave the Sinead O’Brien live experience, which on hearing the album you will, she’s playing Guildford Boileroom on 10th November, and the ‘Rockaway Beach Festival’ in Bognor Regis in early January 2023. It’s probably advisable to grab the opportunity to see her in a small venue while you can.
Sinead O’Brien setlist:
‘Pain In The Fashion Of The Spirit’
‘End Of Days’
‘Most Modern Painting’
‘Roman Ruins’
‘There Are Good Times Coming’
‘The Rarest Kind’
‘Multitudes’
‘Girlkind’
‘Kid Stuff’
‘Like Culture’
‘Holy Country’
‘Spare For My Size, Me’
