Wild Beasts – The Waterfront – 12/03/12

PHOTO FROM PAUL COOK

Despite adopting a more liberal attitude in recent years, it seems that the English are still holding on to their embarrassment when it comes to sex. The look on the face of a member of the crowd as they heard the word ‘cock’ spoke volumes. With this in mind, it’s refreshing to see a band like the Kendal based art-rockers Wild Beasts taking a decidedly different approach, with vocalist/guitarist Tom Fleming bluntly introducing ‘All The King’s Men’ as a ‘song about fucking’. Complete with muffled groans, Fleming alternates between his signature deep vocals and occasional primal-like shrieks over the noticeably more aggressive sounding live percussion. It’s a strong contrast to the material from their latest record, Smother, where the band embrace a softer sound. Accompanied almost entirely by piano, ‘Lion’s Share’ feels even more intimate in a live setting, though vocalist Hayden Thorpe’s lyrics are still focused on one thing as he sings ‘I take you in my mouth like a lion takes his game’. Don’t be fooled though, Wild Beasts are the epitome of English gentlemen: they’re smartly dressed and polite, giving earnest nods of gratitude in-between sips of red wine.

As an early highlight of the night, the slow-burning ballad ‘Albatross’ particularly showcases the band’s creative talents. Over a delicate guitar riff, the vocal interplay between Fleming’s baritone and Thorpe’s near-falsetto feels like a tender conversation between a love-spurned couple. It’s a heart-breaking track, and, like their latest single ‘Reach a Bit Further’ (where the rhythm section is at it’s tightest), these moments in the set prove that the band are at their best when both vocalists interact with one another. It’s not all about sex though, as immediately afterwards the band launch into fan-favourite ‘The Devil’s Crayon’ – one of their most upbeat and no-nonsense songs. With over three records’ worth of material, the set (effectively a greatest hits collection) showcases just how dynamic the four-piece are, both sonically and lyrically.

During the set closer ‘End Come Too Soon’, the show fully realises it’s level of intimacy. As organic synths are layered upon each other, the tension builds until the 5-minute mark, when the song reaches its climax – did I hear a snigger? – as a wave of sound fills the room, like the warm embrace of a lover. If you think that sounds incredibly cheesy and pathetic, then you’re sporting the attitude that Wild Beasts are trying to correct. Lyrics like ‘girls beneath me’ aren’t gratuitous – the point is that we need to stop being such prudes, cut the bravado and just embrace intimacy. The night’s set proves that Wild Beasts are physically and emotionally comfortable with themselves in every way – maybe England needs a bit more of this?