Wooden Arms @ NAC
Independent Venue Week at NAC!
Obligatory James Blake comparison: Harry Edwards boasts minimalist production, a svelte croon and of course, terrific hair. The issue with being compared to an established artist is that if your music falls short, your faults stick out like a selfie stick at the NAC. This was certainly not the case with Edwards. Peculiarly, it felt like the crowd were visitors to Edwards’ home studio, peering through transparent walls as Edwards and his supporting instrumentalists huddled together at the front of the stage. The remaining space was permeated with ethereal synths and dreamy chords. Naturally, we loved it; Harry’s erratic robotic claps transitioned into fervent audience applause in between songs. Edwards' effort was a defiant rejection of any comparisons; his distorted raps, arbitrary beat changes and abrupt closings proved that this brilliantly independent venue was hosting a brilliantly independent artist.
8/10
Second on the bill, Tom Adams arrived with another enviable barnet in tow. Adams announced that he was debuting an arrangement new to his sets, i.e. live processing a grand piano. The results were mesmerising; Adams’ cinematic, Jon Hopkins-like sound haunted the beautiful NAC. Adams’ voice was also a treat; it ranged from mellow tones to piercing falsettos’ reminiscent of Mika. The similarities to the disco-popstar soon ended, as Adams gracefully mastered the construction of textural elements in front of our eyes. As his gripping set progressed, I began to doubt my comparison-making abilities. Where on earth did Mika come from? I don’t know, maybe it was just the hair.
8/10
Wooden Arms finally graced the stage. The six-piece have just completed a successful tour of Germany, but proceeded to rock their home crowd like they had never even left. The remaining electronic mist soon dispersed as Norwich’s own took to their traditional instruments. In between idiosyncratic quips, lead jester Alex Carson led the Norwich band in their self-professed ‘Tudorian Funk’. It is definitely an apt description; gems like False Start showcased tight choral harmonies, delicate piano playing, and trip hop infused percussion. Whether you call it alternative chamber music or classical folk, Wooden Arms are definitely treading new ground. As a first time listener, I found them thrillingly versatile. My newfound favourite Burial attested this conclusion. Refined textures gave way to a cacophony of sound, and barbed yelling sparked the atmosphere in final 30 seconds. A rousing request for an encore of Separate the Verb was final proof that you don’t have to venture to corporate venues to listen to gifted musicians.
9/10
