Call Upon The Author

When Two Wounded Birds took to the stage at 11:40pm on a Saturday night, I won’t lie, I was feeling a little grumpy with them. I had a long drive the next day, and my plus one (my lovely mate Jon) had the Gosport ferry to catch, and we had been waiting a while. The Wedgewood Rooms was by no means heaving, and I was a little sleepy (probably due to the fact that I am almost old enough to be someone from the band’s Mum). In short, I was ready to slate them. But there is absolutely no way that I can, because they were genuinely very very good.
OK, so the band definitely have room to grow – there’s a slightly exaggerated air of arrogance that they haven’t yet earned. If you can only play for twenty five minutes, probably best not to act like Oasis – just yet. Also, there’s some need for enunciation – it was difficult to make out the lyrics live, and this took the edge off slightly.
The above said, I thoroughly enjoyed the show – the band have a cracking sound: surf guitar, heartbeat bass and gorgeous clangs all swirl together to create something that sounds like a modern rework of the Pulp Fiction soundtrack. It’s all moody and fifties sounding, with tone, persona and swagger. Being at their show was like being at the high school dance from Back To The Future: if directed by Tim Burton. It’s surf rock without the good clean fun – it’s the Beach Boys if they were bitter, twisted and sulky. It’s different, and a bit special, and it bloody well works.
These kids have talent in spades, and cool pouring off them like dry ice. Their swagger and self belief, although maybe not justified yet, definitely will be. A cracker of a band, and one to watch out for extremely soon.