With a support only installed at midday today it was difficult to identify who, if anyone, was going to take the stage before Montreal based post-punk four-piece Ought, but as I head down the Broadcast stairs I am greeted by familiar face and sound.
Ross Clark, frontman of Three Blind Wolves or Steve Blind Wolves if you’re Dutch apparently, is someone I’m very familiar with, so much so that I have to restrain from sticking the boot in every time I review him.
Truth is Clark has an impressive talent, namely his voice, it’s strong and bellowing with a hint of country that can quiet a room, but also be heard over the loudest one, it never fails to impress when he steps away from the mic and belts out his warblings.
Tonight’s he airs some stripped back versions of new TBW material, which I arrive too late to hear, but what I do catch his him successfully wooing some new fans who’re not particularly catered to his usual output.
Ought are a band that have received a lot of praise recently, and the band born out of highly politisised student protests deserve every bit of that credit, with their electrifying yet restless debut full-length More Than Any Other Day, being easily one of the most exciting releases of 2014.
Tonight they begin with the building trickle of the album’s almost title track ‘Today More Than Any Other Day’ as the band bob along in unison before vocalist Tim Beeler delivers the building chant of “we’re sinking deeper” that leads into one the bands best tracks yet.
Beeler’s natural charisma is on show as he channels his almost oratory delivery somewhere between Steve Albini’s ranted brilliance and David Byrne’s tuneful monologues, delivering the often quoted satirical lyric “today more than any other day/I am prepared to make the decision between two percent and whole milk”, with a knowing smirk and a look of mock seriousness.
The urgent and driven ‘The Weather Song’ follows and keeps the crowd moving healthily for a Sunday evening, Beeler is no doubt the focal point and his gangly almost Jarvis-esque gestures add a little extra to his boyish Brick era JGL look.
The band express their excitement for being in Glasgow, noting Life Without Buildings and the little known Sexy Kids are two of their favourite acts, before moving into the electrifying ‘Habit’, which sees Beeler’s versatile delivery at its most Byrne, chanting “something to believe in” above a barrage of angular art-punk and Television-esque musicianship.
‘Clarity!’ and ‘Forgiveness’ follow, as almost every track from the eight-track debut gets aired before ‘Gemini’ comes sandwiched between a couple of newer numbers that don’t see the crazy dancing, from one guy down front in particular, dying down.
The band is tempted back on stage for a quick encore before bidding Glasgow a farewell that hopefully won’t be for too long.
Words: Iain Dawson
Photos: Bill Gray
