The Wave Pictures

February 20, 2008 | Leave a Comment

The following review appears in the latest edition of London’s premier music ‘zine, London Tour Dates. td17small.JPG

The Wave Pictures, The Enterprise, 19th Feb 2008

It’s great to see a whammy bar these days. You don’t have to be a guitar geek to appreciate a nice bit of trebly whanging, especially if done with the restraint and sheer gay abandon of the Wave Pictures’ David Tattersall. Leading from the front, guitarist/singer Mr Tatersall and his two partners in crime, are a heart-warming sight on a cold Camden night. The Wave Pictures’ seem to be all about luscious leftfield lyrics, strangely reedy but strong vocals and, on my favourite of the night, Just Like a Drummer, some great harmonies between Tattersall and Johnny Helm on drums. Like fellow Leicestershire band The Displacements, The Wave Pictures tick the melody box marked strong and the tunes are all the better for their stripped down, Jonathan Richman-style delivery. Altogether quite impressive considering the setting and the overall ballsy straight-to-amp lack of musical jiggery.

The Wave Pictures at The Enterprise, pic by Rachel LipsitzThe Wave Pictures have been described as shy. I’m not so sure — self-deprecating definitely, refreshingly modest probably and as you would expect for an emerging act, their fan base tonight seemed to consist mainly of friends, their sound engineer, family and the type of Londoner who wears a cloth cap and considers a group passe once more than three people have heard of them. Alas, the cap-wearers are either going to have to get with the programme or get a new band, because The Wave Pictures are destined to outgrow the Enterprise pretty soon. Their second album is out soon and backed by horn-infused, infectious first single Love you Like a Madman, a wider audience cannot be far away.

The Wave Pictures are taking up residence at The Enterprise. This is the rather grand announcement on their Myspace page but Elton John at Caesar’s Palace it ain’t. Passing by blokes with dogs on the ground floor, up a creaky staircase, past the toilets you enter an upstairs den which most would describe as dingy but which The Wave Pictures’ frontman thought a tad jazz. Each to their own I suppose but if it takes The Wave Pictures to brighten up this tatty room then I’m all for it. Mr Tattersall might have been jesting when he said “Tuesday nights will never be the same” but he had a point. Watch this space.


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