The Horrors At The Attenborough Centre

Since the release of their fifth album V, The Horrors have not only come back and cemented their place in British alternative music history, but they have created one of the best albums of the last 10 years. They have achieved this during an age when listening to singles and playing albums on shuffle leads many bands to stop making an album in the true sense of the word.  Whereas with V each song either flows or intertwines into the next song or cuts through to create a seamless piece of music rather than a group of songs loosely thrown together. It comes as no surprise that V has received incredible reviews, not only from the music press but from many national newspapers.

When I walked into the Attenborough centre I expected to be in the middle of a sea of students but instead I found myself in a crowd made up of the people who like the Horrors and the bands that inspired them.  It was a really weird atmosphere as everyone there was almost sceptical of the band as if they were only there as they were the best band playing in Brighton that night. There was almost a sense of reluctance from the audience to connect with the music. This made the whole gig feel like a battle between the audience and the band as they tried to get the audience to let go of their inhibitions and have some serious fun. By the end of the gig however, the mesmeric charm of the Horrors lead singer, Faris Badwan, had worn them down into becoming the most loyal of Horrors fans.
 

It all started just after the audience survived the Prog rock of Baba Nabu, the support band. The audience then waited for the band to slide on and for the synth of their new song Hologram to start and the drum kicks the audience into another world. Then the eerie vocals start and you are immediately transported into this other world. Then suddenly you are shaken out of it by Josh Haywards guitar of their recent single Machine as it cuts through the venue and everyone realises that they are hearing something special. The more the band plays the more I fall in love them, there is something reminiscent in the sound of the Horrors of the great indie bands that came before them. Whilst at the same time sounding like nothing I have ever heard before.

When you see the lead singer Faris Badwan he stands there and commands the audience in a manner reminiscent of classic indie goth singers like Tim Reid of Jesus and Mary Chain. Whilst at the same time having the attitude of a John Lydon, and the energy of a Brett Anderson (Suede) who is known to be one of the best frontmen in alternative music, during these punkish outbursts that you’re not expecting to see. And yet despite all these influences you see there is something ultimately Faris about it all, he is one of the best lead singers I have seen live, I recently saw Wolf Alice and was completely taken aback by how disinterested and unengaged the lead singer seemed in contrast to Faris who is commanding.

 Though most important is their music. When you first listen to them you think, another alternative rock band, but the more you listen, the more you hear the genres clashing with each other at the same time. There are electronic influences, and a hint of dance music.  It is ethereal, punk like and innovative whilst remaining familiar at the same time. You need to go and see this band, it is something you will never regret.