Thursday 20 March 2008

let me introduce you to Mr Hudson who is in the Library

Let me introduce you to these fine chaps, saw them at Glastonbury last year. Originally from Birmingham, but now based in the smoke. They have been seen in the Kentish town area, plus the other day I noticed some graffiti that was based around the band near the bottom end of Kentish Town. Whats interesting about these guys is their fusion of acoustic with hip/hop - ska and dreamic melodies. They remind me of a contemporary version Of The Specials. A fusion is created when urban sounds mix with classic London dance hall music. Other great bands that achieved this where The kinks, The Small Faces, Blur and even Madness. All perfectly epitomise the different cultural influences that make London. You can't just say London sound is indie, hip-hop or drum and bass , its a mixture of all these things and sometimes none depending on where you live and what background you come from. Now and again some bands cross fertilise these genres and create a sound that is unique, but not always instantly likable. More recently bands like Frank Ferdinand, The Libertines and the Kaiser Chiefs have taken this Victorian style theatrics and converted them into modern ditties all creating musical vignettes that put you right into the soul of London.

Monty