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Introducing...'The Chorus'

'Storytelling in the vein of Tom Waits or a moody, pissed Bob Dylan.'

The Mexican, a song from Essex quintet, The Chorus, is a moody hypnotic drunken soundtrack for a road movie. Vocalist Barton Young fights his way to the fore as if trying to break free from the suffocating tide of dualling guitars. Then the build slows and the soulful poet croons: Why did you take her?... take my child?

Afterwards the hamonica plays in a let down as if the singer is waiting in a hospital corridor for an answer to a dreaded question.

Melodic but more like whiny The Poques, the images on this 4 track CD are crisp, working class. The Dreams That We Have has a harmonica thread: rent boys hide in the corners and a sense of desperation prevails.

The organ in the music is powerful and rousing; this is storytelling in the vein of Tom Waits or a moody, pissed Bob Dylan. Does this band sing about feeling your love? I think not. Try this out for size: 'And darling I can`t decide if there are diamonds or tears in your eyes.'

This is a decent garage band that has a lyrical edge, a genuine poet in the lead singer Barton Young. I first met Barton at one of these poetry events at the Pride of Spitalfields Pub, introduced by the enigimatic Andrew Copeman and watched over by a certain Lee Wilson. There are some pictures of the night on The Chorus website. I won`t say who is who because what is the point?

The band has been touted for bigger things by Mick Harvey of Nick Cave`s and The Bad Seeds Band. Under the mirrorball everyone shines in the cigarette air. With images and songs like this its easy to see that they might have a chance. The only piss off is that they need to go a little wilder and a little harder in the playing. However that will probably come. The songwriting is there and the singer is ready to go for it.

Last show of the Year: November 18th, Camden Underworld, Camden, London, England.

Check band website for listings:

Images provided by and copyright The Clicker

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