Rose Elinor Dougall @ Clwb 10th Feb Review

We rocked up around 8 o’clock expecting a quiet one but were surprised to see a good crowd for the openers Silver Gospel Runners. Suppose this was because they were a local band who were last months Kruger’s Single Club entry but they didn’t tick my boxes. That’s not to say they weren’t tight in a wispy indie way, with the obligatory brass for extra feyness but I’m not that into Magic Numbers and music of that ilk. Subjectivity is in for ’09.

Up next were Soy Un Caballo, a Belgian duo with a Spanish name, how thoroughly continental we thought. Channelling Nouvelle Vague with there bossa swagger and xylophones, they played a short but sweet set, lacking a bit in bite although singing in French they could have been singing about anything, the GCSE I scammed proving useless. Can’t imagine they’ll be challenging the holy trinity of Poirot, Bosman and Jean Claude Van Damme though.

In between Soy Un Caballo and the third band Hari and Aino, I managed to grab a quick word with Rose Elinor Dougall in the smoking area. I wrote down as much as I could in my tiny notebook, so she smokes rollies, the album is four weeks away from being finished, there will be a cellist on it, she doesn’t have a label yet, she likes playing Cardiff, Riot Becki (the other Pipette to leave with Rose) is working on material in Brighton and she tried to play my Stylophone, but it simply refused to work even with when Matthew changed the batteries, this was symbolised by the word CURSED being underlined five times (yet it works now).

Hari and Aino, opined Matthew had to be foreign as looked far too happy. A few bars in, I hazarded a guess that they were Swedish, as there sound was suffused with the sunshine indie pop that that country produces in abundance. Y’know it was pleasant and they can jangle with the best of them but most of there songs sounded pretty similar and lacked the spunk of say Alphabeat.

And finally it was Rose Elinor Dougall’s and The Distractions turn. Clearly illustrating again that she had the strongest voice in The Pipettes, her songcraft and sound was a step above what had gone before. Released from the straight jacket of The Pipettes doo-wop pop, Rose has developed a strong, full, structured pop sound which boldly stands apart from the current wonky pop sound in vogue. The Distractions were tight backing, unfussy yet embellished allowing Rose’s voice the limelight. She does cut a slighty awkward front woman, hidden behind keyboard and fringe but compensates with her sheer talent.

Matthew and I agreed it was a good gig and it surely won’t be long before she finds the right home for her album.

Sam