Review: alt-J at the O2 Academy

alt-J (∆) are a ‘university band’ success story to inspire any of those hoping to pursue their music here in Oxford. The four met at Leeds University in 2007 and have been doling out their ‘folk-step’ ever since – moving from GarageBand production, to a record deal in 2011, to winning the Mercury Prize on Thursday. Oxford music favourite Orlando Higginbottom (aka Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs) noted on Twitter yesterday “Alt_J didnt get a single broad sheet review of their album when it came out”, yet, once the Mercury nominations had been announced, were singled out as perhaps the strongest contenders. The neon triangles power up at the back of the O2 stage and when vocalist-guitarist Joe Newman strides on and announces jovially ‘so we won the Mercury Prize yesterday’ the entire Academy roar in congratulations. Eventually, everyone has got there, and alt-J are riding a wave of appreciation.

alt-J (∆). Gus (far left) in an ‘Of Mice and Men’ t-shirt which provoked a squeal of ‘oooh, Steinbeck!’ Photograph: Sean Hopkins

Their lyrics reference matadors, lego and, of course, the greatness of triangles; the music, though not ground-breaking in innovation (which should not be perceived at all as criticism), distinguishes itself from that of other ‘electro-indie’ bands mainly through its sensuality – meeting Marvin Gaye heights particularly in songs such as ‘Tesselate’. The audience, as we were lulled into forming one large, satisfied swaying mass from the first beat, were hooked throughout. A nice surprise in the set was a mash-up of Kylie Minogue’s ‘Slow’ with Dr. Dre’s ‘Still D.R.E.’ and a huge sigh of relief was let out when the band returned to the stage for an encore rendition of ‘Taro’.

Stealing Sheep were by no means filler as we waited for the night’s main act. It is rare to see an all girl outfit these days that you can’t just reduce to pretty folk harmonies – these girls from Liverpool are so much more, and, a particular favourite of mine. Though they look sweet, you know when listening to songs like ‘Noah’s Days’, hearing the mix of intricate rhythms on top of which lullaby vocals are layered, that Stealing Sheep are out to make music a little richer than just forgettable folk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVo56-aNLCc

You won’t be wasting your time if you catch either of these bands in 2013.

alt-J (∆)’s Mercury Prize winning debut album ‘An Awesome Wave’ and Stealing Sheep’s debut album ‘Into The Diamond Sun’ are out now.