One suspects that Joel Gibb’s persistence in describing his music as ‘gay folk church music’ may deter some people from giving The Hidden Cameras a go. One also suspects that releasing singles entitled Underage may restrict the listener’s opportunities to stumble across The Hidden Cameras on the radio too. Either way, if that applies to you, then your loss is tonight’s audience’s gain. Being a fan of The Hidden Cameras is akin to being a member of a secret society.
Look past the fuss and nonsense and what you actually have is a peerless band. The Hidden Cameras make bold, euphoric pop. Be that folky and baroque or electronic, it’s a unique sound with a unique voice (both lyrically and vocally)
Tonight, a half-full Brudenell Social Club gets a run through of the broad spectrum which makes up that sound. From the anthemic crowd favourite Ban Marriage to the tender b-side Pencil Case, through the darker edged Walk On from current album Origin:Orphan.
Gibb is a curious front-man. Dressed in office slacks and shirt, he remains largely static during the early portion of the set. It’s only when he puts his guitar down and is free to roam with the microphone that he comes fully to life, at which point he is both slightly unsettling and joyously compelling. What more can you want from pop music?
The Hidden Cameras release their new single Underage/Origin:Orphan on the 22nd March through Arts and Crafts, preceded by the re-release of their latest album Origin:Orphan on the 15th March. The band will be over from Canada for a series of UK dates which beginning in Brighton on March 17th at the Audio.
Full tour details are listed below.
In the meantime, Joel Gibb has kindly tackled the Suitcase Orchestra Q & A and you can kick back and watch the video for Underage here.
If I were to play just one of your songs to someone who hasn’t heard your music, which would it be and why?
Party shuffle! Let fate decide things. My songs are like my babies.
You are being sent to the moon. You’re allowed to take 1 album. What is it?
I wouldn’t take any album, what’s the point? You’re in space!!! I would be too distracted to listen to an album. But “Scott 4″ is good.
On the subject of being sent to the moon, what 3 things would definitely be in your suitcase?
Wouldn’t I have some sort of moon-pack instead of a suitcase? Toothbrush, long-johns and tooth paste.
Tell us about a band or singer we might not have heard of who should be featured on Suitcase Orchestra
Hmmmm, haven’t anything new in a while. I really do like the new Mocky record, have you heard it? It’s called “Saskamodie”…
What film would you be a character in?
To quote Sarah Palin, “Any of ‘em, all of ‘em”. My Left Foot would be a good start.
Recommend a book.
Mephisto – Klaus Mann
Which literary character would play you in the book of your life?
See above
What’s the worst record in your collection?
I couldn’t say really, I usually don’t have records I don’t like.
What question should I always ask in a Q & A?
How lazy.
And answer it please.
I’m even lazier.
The Hidden Cameras embark on a UK tour for the following dates:
Wed 17th March Brighton Audio
Thu 18th March London St Leonard’s Church, Shoreditch
At their best, The Hidden Cameras make joyous, infectious pop which rises and falls and in places that happens here. But, and it’s a fairly significant but, it doesn’t happen often enough on this album. Joel Gibb has gone serious.
The signs are there from the very beginning. No-one is ever going to convince me that starting an album with over two minutes of drone is the way forward. What remains of the opening track ‘Ratify the New’ does little to lift the mood – it’s sludgy and plodding and only Gibb’s voice, one of the best in pop, saves it.
Elsewhere the sombre feel continues on ‘Walk On’, a bombastic march which sees Gibb doing a passable Ian Curtis impression and title track ‘Origin: Orphan’, another early-eighties sounding dirge.
Thankfully, there is enough vintage Hidden Cameras tucked away in the album to make it a worthwhile affair. ‘In The NA’, shorn of the two minute intro that was tagged on to it when released as a single, is an immediate and infectious piece of pure pop while ‘He Falls to Me’, ‘Colour of a Man’, and the trumpet driven ‘The Little Bit’ retain the wittiness and exuberance of earlier albums.
A band shouldn’t stand still, but the Hidden Cameras music has always been fairly euphoric and playful and the moments on this album which match that show that Gibb still had plenty of room for manoeuvre in that area without getting all serious on us.
A big fat chunk o’ summery pop music. The single boasts three versions of the title track: There are two fairly pointless remixes and an extended version which basically amounts to almost two minutes of air raid sirens and the sound of a man blowing up an airbed tacked clumsily on to the front of the song. It’s ok though as once you’ve got through that, there are still 4 minutes of skittering pop song to go. ‘Mind, Matter and Waste’ and ‘Pencil Case’ complete the E.P. and prove that although there’s been a fair bit of criticism aimed at them in recent years, the Cameras still know how to knock out a tune. All in all, things are looking good for their forthcoming fifth full-length album, ‘Origin:Orphan’, which is due for release later this month.
One suspects that Joel Gibb’s persistence in describing his music as ‘gay folk church music’ may deter some people from giving The Hidden Cameras a go. One also suspects that releasing singles entitled Underage may restrict the listener’s opportunities to stumble across The Hidden Cameras on the radio too. Either way, if that applies to you, then your loss is tonight’s audience’s gain. Being a fan of The Hidden Cameras is akin to being a member of a secret society.
A big fat chunk o’ summery pop music. The single boasts three versions of the title track: There are two fairly pointless remixes and an extended version which basically amounts to almost two minutes of air raid sirens and the sound of a man blowing up an airbed tacked clumsily on to the front of the song. It’s ok though as once you’ve got through that, there are still 4 minutes of skittering pop song to go. ‘Mind, Matter and Waste’ and ‘Pencil Case’ complete the E.P. and prove that although there’s been a fair bit of criticism aimed at them in recent years, the Cameras still know how to knock out a tune. All in all, things are looking good for their forthcoming fifth full-length album, ‘Origin:Orphan’, which is due for release later this month.