'Live' by Trust Club
Review
Out today from Trust Club is their new live EP which, not messing around nor trying to confuse us, they've named ‘Live'.
It features three songs: "Untelligent Behaviour" (the studio version of which you'll recall appears on ‘Hot Music Live Presents Volume Seven‘ and which was a single a year ago), "Friend" and "Not Quite".
That's a good idea think: anchor the EP on the track which people probably know best & then add one which while well known to your live audiences need introducing to a wider listening public.
Trust Club seem to gig regularly & so must feel confident that live performances being released will not suffer in comparison with any previously released versions & that the quality of their live work can both be captured effectively and show the world what you believe to be one of your strengths.
It works: the band (Ali Hutton on drums, bassist Connie Rudman and songwriter/vocalist/guitarist
Matt Good), performing at The Stage in Rugby last November, certainly play well as a group & are as tight as you would wish.
The performances without a doubt showcase not only the playing quality but that of the material. Stripped of the sheen of the studio, the resultant arrangements are more than sufficient to tell the stories intended and of course you get a live mix & can hear individual elements more clearly & some take centre stage more by this route. The one major difference are the vocals & to me the rougher sound of live singing in no way detracts from the experience: if anything it just reinforces senses of passion & commitment.
What is interesting though is the format of the live recording: most take place at actual gigs while this one appears to be three songs recorded live but without any apparent audience. This is a bit disconcerting: yes you are able to hear the music without the veneer of noise from those watching, but you lose both any interaction (not so important) or the band's performance responding to the enthusiasm of their fans (which I think is a benefit of most live recordings). I wonder what led them to this decision.
So to the three songs.. "Untelligent Behaviour" certainly emerges more grungy than previously, "Friend" as a power pop/punk bop and "Not Quite" something with elements of both with a little light Britpop thrown in…. all grand stuff & catchy enough to stand the scrutiny of streaming & radio play.
As a shop window for what Trust Club are about, it's an effective exercise. I'm still waiting to catch them live as I suspect that what you hear here with added audience reactions & the frisson of that driving the band still further in the directions they are clearly going here will be quite something.
