Review Music: Bittersweet symphony | 93 Ft East

Publications by New Journal Enterprises

Home

Archive

Competition

The Review - MUSIC - grooves with ROISIN GADELRAB
Published: 4 December 2008

Bitter Things - Picture by Kamil Janowski

Opening strains of a bittersweet symphony

REVIEW: BITTER THINGS
93Ft East

THIS humble band’s only played three live gigs but you’d be forgiven for thinking they’ve been going for much longer. And when musicians are confident enough to know they produce good music, intricate, elegant lyrics and guitar riffs to die for they don’t need distracting gimmicks.
It’s the songwriting which sets Bitter Things apart. You can gauge the dark nature of the author’s mindset by the song titles Wasted Years of Youth, Where the Wild Things Are, and We’re Only Lovers. The wry Let Me Down Slow evokes too many dangerously familiar feelings, Where the Wild Things Are is a rich, folky warning tale, while Enough of This Town was a rousing, fitting farewell.
After winning over a packed crowd at the Dublin Castle last month, Bitter Things played a tight set at 93ft East in Brick Lane last week. The combination of frontman Nick Gledhill’s voice with guitarist Lizzi Ford’s backing vocals and the understated Suroj Sureshbabu with unexpected inspired guitar solos should be enough in itself. But with drummer Jez Macdonald holding the set together – he may look like Animal onstage but with infinitely more controlled beats – the rest of the band is left enough room to shine, in a tainted, broken, bitter way of course.
They’re recording at the illustrious Mayfair Studios in Primrose Hill and hope to have a record out early next year. With no website or MySpace page as yet, Bitter Things are happy to let their music speak for itself the old fashioned way – by word of mouth.

Pictured: Bitter Things. Courtesy of Kamil Janowski

Comment on this article.
(You must supply your full name and email address for your comment to be published)

Name:

Email:

Comment:

Check Prices, Availability & Book Online
Receive Online Discounts and Instant Confirmation

» Rock & Pop
» Gig Listings
» Classical & Jazz
» C&J Listings
» Book concerts/gigs
» Buy CDs