Just last week I received a message from a band who took great pride in being described “genre busting”, that band I have yet to listen to, although after writing this feel I will definitely have to give then a listen, but since they also happily used the word novelty in their bio I found myself questioning.
One band who could definite the term “genre busting”, without an ounce of novelty thrown in, are And Yet It Moves, who returned to Glasgow for a session and decided to throw a last minute party to fundraise their upcoming album.
Tonight’s show would have clashed with the huge Green Day show over at Bellahouston Park, had that not fallen apart, but needless to say this show would not have suffered or gained from those events, aside from a bit of banter.
Opening up proceeding are Sweaty Palms, who are on a fundraising mission of their own to put out their debut album, an album that is ran through start to finish tonight, and the band take you on the creepiest rollercoaster ride you’ll ever go on, but leave you wanting to jump right on again.
Most of tonight’s material is new, but still hits the marks that the band is loved for, eerie guitar work and riot inducing garage rock rhythms allow Robbie Houston’s cathartic howl to ingest the audience.
Numbers from 2015 EP, Hollywood Wax, like ‘Captain of the Rugby Team’ make the cut and add a nice familiarity to the ghoulish aesthetic and spiting lyrical assaults.
The album will be one to look out for, and the closer, which sees Houston taking on an almost Aidan Moffat like spoken word delivery, with a more spiteful, gritty edge, has those collected mystified at what may happen next.
And Yet It Moves on the other hand, pushing the curfew are far as they can possibly push it, show no familiarity in their set choice, if anything in this set has seen light of day before it is in a radically different guise to its previous incarnation.
What does stay recognisable about this band is the sheer presence of frontman Dale Barclay, his notable sneer is front and centre since co vocalist Michael Højgaard left the band, and the band are better for it.
Barclay has always been the focal point of this band and his presence demands full attention, although the man himself would no doubt argue his bandmate’s cases.
That said the band do an astounding job, busting through a genre-defying set that bridges on full on hardcore at points and almost calypso vibes at others, plus everything in between and more.
Softer numbers allow the serene beauty of Laura St Jude’s vocal the chance to shine, and although very low in the mix we get a taster of her undeniable talent, and when paired with Barclay’s guttural snarl it creates a tremendous juxtaposition that has proven to work all the way down to stripped back acoustic tracks.
Still, you won’t find any of that here, And Yet It Moves are here to create uproar, to create unnerve and to leave you undoubtedly talking about them.
Since forming not long over a year ago And Yet It Moves have toured three times and gone through a good deal of hard times during this, that has seen line up changes, money struggles and relocation to Berlin, but from tonight’s evidence the beast that is And Yet It Moves keeps evolving and will keep on doing so.
This is my third time seeing them and every time was drastically different from the last, and with an album finally in sight we still have no idea what to expect and that’s the way we like it.
Words: Iain Dawson
Rave Child 