The Victorian English Gentlemens Club

[blind-fitter]

....are aware that there should be an apostrophe in their name, but don't care. In fact, they omitted it on purpose. Just to irk the purists.

They are neither Victorian, English, nor are at least 2/3 of them Gentlemen.

Probably the best thing to come out of the tawdry sh!thole of Cardiff in South Wales (sorry, but I just don't like Cardiff), TVEGClub are one guy (guitar/vox)and two pretty foxy gals, Emma (drums/vox) and "don'tknowhername" on (bass/vox). They play quirky, eccentric, jaggedy, arty "post-punk" indie music. They seem much closer to the original arty/post-punk of 1979-81 than most of the current bands to whom such adjectives are attributed or who cite such influences. They are not like Bloc Party, no. They remind me of The Cravats, The Slits, The Au Pairs, perhaps occasionally Wire, but even of French avant-gardistes Lucrate Milk (but without the saxophones). I have also heard them compared to The Pixies, The Breeders or Elastica, but to me, they seem a bit more "out there" than those rather polished outfits. They are one of those bands probably too out-of-kilter to ever achieve mainstream acceptance or success, whilst demanding the attention of those who like their indie art-pop to be a bit out of the ordinary. Unique, non-formulaic.

I have seen them "live" twice now. The first time I thought they were really good. This week, as they supported Sons & Daughters, I thought them astoundingly good. "Why can't all indie bands be as good as this?", I thought to myself.

Not sure these video clips do them justice, but it's a start, isn't it?

"Stupid As Wood"

"Amateur Man"

"Impossible Sightings Over Shelton"

Their eponymously-titled debut album came out last year, so why haven't I got it yet? Ignorance, my dears. I will be procuring it at the earliest opportunity.

[Levis]

I might be mad, but the chorus on Stupid As Wood makes me think of the songs off Incesticide. the way it seems to go a bit off the beat and very different from the verses

That second video is a bit off-putting, but the song isn't too bad (once I minimise it).

Impossible sightings is good too. With or without video. Like it more than Amateur Man but less than Stupid As Wood.

Okay... may need a few more listens, but now back t'work.