Competition winner Tiffany Parker -Smith reviews the Mystery Jets Myspace Secret Show, Leeds- June 22nd. Ahead of their hotly anticipated third album ‘Serotonin’
The infamous Brudenell stage is almost too small to hold all of the band’s gear. But every one of those keyboards are needed as they launch straight into ‘Flash A Hungry Smile’, and IT IS LOUD!! All synth riffs and harmonies. Will Rees takes lead vocals and Blaine Harrison handles the whistling, it’s catchy as hell with hooks to die for kinks of previous gigs obviously ironed out for this filmed for Myspace extravaganza!!
Soon into the gig, the crowd are feeling the melodic vibes and bouncing to their synth riffs and harmonies, despite the incredible temperatures in the almost to capacity Social Club. Blaine’s dad Henry is no longer on stage with them but his influence is obviously still loitering both musically and in their still ever quirky dress sense. Which a majority of the crowd seem to have adopted themselves, the ‘scenesters’ themselves were an almost mirror image of the guys on stage!
There is a definite maturity to their new tracks but this is coupled with their abundant joyful youth. Thumping drums and well-balanced synths adds a pop sparkle to every song. ‘Young Love’ encourages handclaps from the audience, and the new songs run with a fevered urgency. Next single, ‘Dreaming Of Another World’ provokes abandonment by the entire crowd, despite the heat and lack of fresh air in the room, which makes a party in itself. The air raid intro of ‘Hideaway’ mixes seamlessly into disco-like beats, which is becoming synonymous of Producer Erol Alkan.
MJ’s put on a cracking show tonight, it’s clear that this is a band becoming more ambitious and less referential without losing any of the instinctive mischief and charm that made us love them in the first place.
To find out more visit myspace.com/secretshowsuk