LA’s Here Lies Man bring their boogie-friendly rock to The Cluny
Tempting (and, let’s face it, realistic) though it is to suggest that the psych revival has most likely reached its peak, there’s still a plethora of new and exciting bands emerging from it with more distinctive takes on the sound.
Take as example Here Lies Man: hailing from Los Angeles, Here Lies Man have come with an MO of marrying Afrobeat rhythms and syncopation with fuzzy, post-Sabbath riffs. If this sounds a little like A Certain Problematic Swedish Band on paper, there’s a few key distinctions that set the American band apart. Firstly, there’s a lack of gimmickry and appropriated imagery to Here Lies Man – they are, quite openly, just some guys from California in denim jackets – as well as a pedigree of musicianship (with the band featuring several members of Antibalas) that’s equally adept at both elements of their fusion sound.
More significantly, Here Lies Man are just a wonderfully heads-down, boogie-friendly rock band. This year’s second album You Will Know Nothing is a treat of inventive melodic ideas, nestled within bristling garage rock arrangements. With the band having also garnered a reputation as a fearsome live act, their appearance at The Cluny in Newcastle on Monday 5th November is set to be a breath of fresh freak-out air.
