Never Enough Notes e-zine // reviews + interviews + music

Ones to watch, huh? What, if you still listen to the Pepsi chart (is that still around, Dr Fox)? The Miserable Rich and Lisa Mitchell have been recording since 2007, and headliners The Wave Pictures’ career is more than a decade long.

Anyway, I digress. HMV’s Ones To Watch nights are all over London’s venues at the moment, with tonight at The Borderline being no exception. Our hosts tonight are The Miserable Rich, Lisa Mitchell, and The Wave Pictures, all of whom were tagged as ‘ones-to-watch’ about a year ago and are really making some headway.

‘Chamber pop’ Brighton quintet The Miserable Rich are no strangers to the stage. You might recognise some of these guys. They’re no newcomers to the music scene, comprised of members of The Willkommen Collective, Shoreline, Hope Of The States and James Grape to name just a few of their numerous projects.

Opening with bells and the hum of the double-bass, we were told to expect a night of quiet music. The Miserable Rich, in a get-up of farmer-chic, opened with ‘Early Mourning’. Frontman James sprinkled the twinkling of colour-coded bells over his overconfident swagger, betwixt mellow oomph-pah-pah rhythms. One of the first thing to notice about these eloquent gents is that these dudes are no beer-swilling boy, preferring to quaff the vino rouge on stage.

Americana-laced ‘Monkey’ continues the set; the venue is already looking considerably packed-out at 8pm. Either these guys have built up quite a following or there’s some seriously-studenty drink deals going on. Next is ‘Pisshead’, then moving a chair across the stage for ‘Bye Bye Kitty’, James looks a bit worse-for-wear himself already. Nothing wrong with getting into character though, is there? ‘Bye Bye Kitty’ is a more upbeat and tuneful ditty, yet another one about substance abuse (theme?!); a whirling and soaring account.

The Miserable Rich manage to pass off depressing subject matter, disguised with cheerful melody and encouraging notes. Honest songs about drunkardness, drug addiction and the usual are hidden amongst beautiful strings, the occasional bittersweet note, and a sometimes-present double bass. And gently belted out by seemingly over-confident frontman James de Malplaquet.

A great set, short but sweet and only 30 minutes long. I really wanted them to play a song from their recently Covers EP, but alas, it was not to be. Shame.

Read our interview with James of The Miserable Rich here.

Second on the bill is the gorgeous Australian Lisa Mitchell. A beautiful whispery voice, ‘Neopolitan Dream’ is her most famous and also first song of the set. Not too say that the rest of the set isn’t awe-inspiring. She just played the best song right at the start. Setlist FAIL.

Finally, our headliners. The Wave Pictures, opening with folky-pop foot-tapper ‘Strange Fruit For David’, brimming with frank and funny lyrics. Another highlight is ‘I Love You Like A Madman’, before the slower ‘Now You’re Pregnant’ sounds like a romantic ballad but lyrically is brutally-honest: “I don’t need therapy, I’ve got cigarettes”… Refreshing.

Keep an eye out, 2010 could just shape up to be the year of The Wave Pictures.

By Kimberley-Marie Sklinar