O. played Manchester Psych Fest two years ago. Prior to the festival, I tried checking them out on Spotify. I found what I thought was them, some weird sounding Italian pop which I thought sounded interesting, I went to watch them and I didn't get that band but what I got instead was so much better, blistering alt jazz which just blew me away. Fast forward eighteen months and O. now have some releases to their name and they aren't such an unknown entity, which has just increased my anticipation for tonight's show (their first ever sold out headline show so they inform us later).
Pedro Pedro Pedro open up. They start off with an odd mix of African funk and early Madness ska topped with shouty post-punk vocals. It's all a bit too eclectic for me and is rather headache inducing too. The second track is funky jazz which brings Acoustic Ladyland to mind. The spoken vocals don't really fit with the music and this takes me out of the experience. However, it hardly matters as the way all the styles are mixed is so scattershot anyway. 'Sunny Ordinary' sees the keyboard player take lead vocals, and with the addition of violin, it has more of an atmospheric dark folk feel and is much more successful, not least because it has a definite identity rather than trying to be multiple things all at the same time. The next track is in a more gentle bossa style with intriguing female vocals. I'm not sure I'd describe the vocals as good but they're certainly interesting. There are some nice touches here and there, such as some nice Ray Manzarek style keys, but it never quite comes together to make for a pleasant whole. The final track is fairly lengthy and is based around a leaden bassline and beat, although the climax where it speeds up is better.
O. start off with a simple beat and gentle sax which is then looped and topped with a much bassier sax sound which is awesome. You can't help but move your body. The awesome groove of 'OGO' follows. The dreamy dub of 'Moon' is reminiscent of Theon Cross and is extended to breaking point. It is amazing. New track 'Wheezy' has some crazy sci fi effects before the stabbing sax and stuttering drumbeat kick in. Acoustic Ladyland are a frequent reference point, particularly on the jazz thrashabout of 'ATM' and new single 'Green Shirt'. Sax player Joe manages to coax some incredible sounds out of his sax, from typical sax skronk to more of a deeper euphonium sound to something amazingly wonky. The jazz rave of 'Slice' is otherworldly and as it escalates it takes us into a higher state of consciousness (yes, that is a deliberate Josh Wink reference). The final track has a more Middle Eastern feel, just set to a thumping beat. Absolutely mindblowing.
O. *****
Pedro Pedro Pedro **
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