Narc. Magazine Online
Reliably informed
Michael O’Neill enjoys a night of intricately layered sounds from the Boston alt. institution
Image: Horse Jumper of Love by POND Creative
Immaculate opening sets from Trunk and Lots of Hands served as a glorious reminder of how the region is brilliantly tapping into the long-overdue revival of all things shoegaze, slowcore and alt. Both acts played stripped-back sets which brilliantly showcased their phenomenal command of songcraft, not resting too easily on the genre’s tropes and instead prioritising melody and a lyrical sophistication which emulates the progressive, forward-thinking approach of the new stable of left-field six-string splendour. Lots of Hands were, in particular, a revelation, with a glorious Songs: Ohia-esque approach to intricate and vivid songwriting, with sonic experimentation which never veered into meandering noodling, instead further reinforcing the rich and rewarding songs.
The stripped-back vibe extended to the headlining set from Boston alt. institution Horse Jumper of Love, who have refined their marvelous, slow-core Red House Painters/early-Low sound across a range of phenomenal LP’s, including 2024’s Disaster Trick. This is the trio’s second trip to the Toon in support of this album and, in the vivid surrounds of Zerox’s Shooting Gallery, they conjured up an immaculate storm of sound served brilliantly by some phenomenal live mixing, emulating the intricate, layered sound of their LPs whilst still remaining a dynamic and arresting live act. Vocalist/guitarist and bassist John lock their intricate melodies together, with dense layers of chords and pounding sheets of down-tuned, deep sub-bass. Drummer Jamie has an immaculate command of the kit, with every crisp snare-hit resonating vividly in the storm of sound. It forms a vivid foundation for Jamie’s incredible vocals, which merge perfectly with the trio’s sonic-scapes to result in a compelling live experience, and a wonderful reinforcement of their place in the modern slowcore pantheon.
