Spectrals

As Nottingham's newest live music venue opens its doors for the first time, this is perhaps an opportune moment to acknowledge the city's burgeoning underground music scene. Despite having not produced an artist this decade who's gone beyond playing medium-sized local venues, there's a vibrant underbelly of DIY-inspired shows happening every night, such as the lo-fi extravaganza this evening in the tiny confines of the Central (capacity: 70 people!). Unfortunately, the first band, Prize Pets seem a little too studied in the amateur dramatics of shambolic lo-fi, and despite raising a few cheers from their home-based fan club, there's little else to write home about.

For Leeds-based Spectrals (aka Louis Jones, pictured), tonight extended to a four-piece rather than the one-man band responsible for their recordings, it's something of a triumph against the adversity of a somewhat frosty reception afforded them in their native West Yorkshire. While inherent jealous rages and accusations of being manufactured may linger on certain internet forums, Jones and his band get on with what has made the likes of Pitchfork, Parlophone and Blank Dogs' Mike Sniper (amongst others) sit up and take notice. With his debut single on the latter's Captured Tracks imprint set for release in three days time, Jones' doo-wop and reverb inspired love songs offer a perverse level of satisfaction for a balmy Friday evening. Drawing inspiration from the likes of Phil Spector, The Velvet Underground and Billy Childish (his 'Little Bettina' off 2005's Milkshakes long player Nothing Can Stop These Men is covered at the set's mid-point), Spectrals throw those lazy Crystal Stilts comparisons in the bin courtesy of heartfelt paeans like 'Birthday Kiss' and 'Can't We Please Just Stop This Now', which owe as much to their creator's ability to convey a story and hold a tune in a similar way to fifties heartthrobs Billy Fury and Bobby Darin, while the closing vignette of 'Don't Mind' is spellbinding in its execution. Although Spectrals aren't quite the finished article just yet, the progress Louis Jones has made in less than a year is simply staggering, and with a glut of new songs in the bag ready to record any day now, 2010 looks likely to be a heck of a year.

Although signed to K Records for the last two years, Olympia's Desolation Wilderness remain one of Calvin Johnson and company's best-kept secrets. Initially just a vehicle for songwriter-in-chief Nicolaas Zwart's ambient musical experiments, their line-up has gradually veered between two and four members ever since, although this evening consists of just mainstays Zwart, guitarist Ben Kapp and an iPod containing various rhythmic backing tracks. However, don't let that put you off, as their Anglophile C-86 flavoured dream pop is surprisingly engaging. Tonight's set, comprising almost entirely of material taken from their fourth and most recent album New Universe, veers between twee revelry - 'No Tomorrow' and 'Slow Fade' which recall the heady days of The Razorcuts and The Field Mice respectively - and celebrated homages to Manchester's finest. Opener 'Boardwalk Theme' could be The Stone Roses 'Sugar Spun Sister''s younger sibling, while 'Moon Dreams', dedicated to The Chameleons, actually builds itself around a riff not too dissimilar to ones Mark Burgess and co. used to knock out amid irregular sleep patterns two-and-a-half decades ago. They also debut a new song, 'Soda', which hints at a more spacey, textured direction than any of their previous recorded output. By the end, a gratuitous Zwart is shaking hands with the front row of the audience, safe in the knowledge that he's made several new friends this evening. One suspects that although this may be Desolation Wilderness's first ever visit to the city, it most certainly will not be their last.

Spectrals photo by Greg Holland