See Those ‘Eyes: Lancastrian indie pop ensemble continue their rise

Heading down into the cosy basement of the legendary Jacaranda, the Slater Street institution plays host tonight to a group firmly in the ascendent. 

Lancastrian quartet Alsatian Eyes have been building a profile the old fashioned way, namely playing any venue that will take them.

An intriguing mash up of post-punk, 1980s US hardcore punk and the melodic aspects of New Wave, to throw another genre category into the mix (hey, c’mon, it’s music journalism!), the outfit revive the dormant form known as indie pop.

With post-punk becoming a crowded field in recent times, the current outfit stake out their own territory in the genre with melodic vocals courtesy of charismatic lead singer Lily.  The group’s idiosyncrasies become immediately apparent as they open the set with a cover of Rocky Horror standard Science Fiction Double Feature, (RIP Tim Curry).

Earworm moment Bathtime, an activity pop music ought to chronicle more, comes complete with a bubble generator placed centre stage.  The highlight of the set arrives with the following track, the Graham Coxon-esque chordage of their guitarist piloting a song that very pleasantly evokes ultra-sour bubblegum power pop doyens Altered Images. 

In keeping with the post-punk ethos, as defined by Siouxsie and the Banshees’ early manouevers, the crash cymbals are scarcely ever used, the drummer and bassist and paring up to create a thunderous bedrock.   

A cover of sorts of Dead Kennedy’s California Uber Alles, sees the sunshine states’ location amended to Mar-A-Lago, as the lyrics take aim at the idiot currently resident at the address.  The succeeding track, a balancing swipe at his counterpart in the Kremlin is named simply after the tyrant himself.    A tad ragged in places – entirely understandable – they’ve only been operational for six months, another few goes around the gig circuit and these ‘Eyes will be dazzling.