On a busy Friday evening, The Prince Albert hosted a display of eclectic, warbling tunes that rests somewhere across the borders of bedroom pop, yacht rock and soft psych, with 60s inspiration to boot. Spang Sisters and their support, Hutch are similar in that they’re both often compared to bands like Fur and The Beatles. Their sense of ease both on stage and in their effortlessness to balance between genres, both Spang Sisters and Hutch brought something completely new to the scene.
Brighton-based Hutch opened the night, engaging the packed-out room with, as their successors put it, “the tightest harmonies in the game”. I couldn’t have put it better myself. Formed over lockdown, they had the time to perfect their craft as each member of the quartet (with a stand-in bassist due to Glastonbury-induced COVID) melted and mingled with their counterparts seamlessly. Straddling across genres, Hutch gave an unpretentious, energetic and, simply put, fun performance- a sentiment echoed throughout the whole crowd who were immersed, dancing and singing along the entire set. Not least of all to the band’s currently only released single, ‘Radiator Centre’, a lilting, soft-psychy bop about a girl who works at the titular shop. The song glitters with harp strings and is full of characteristic breezy vocals and twangy guitars that don’t take themselves too seriously. The perfect opener for headliners Spang Sisters, Hutch does not disappoint.
Following a killer opener, Spang Sisters maintain the energy, crooning through their eclectic catalogue of music. They flit between melancholy yet heartening dream pop and orchestral compositions, backed by a textural and mellifluent band. The band are cohesive and charming, with the two vocalists switching around on stage throughout the performance, calling back to their support act, as well as to their oft-compared Beatles. Bringing a relaxed disposition to the room, a Spang Sisters show is an enigmatic and vibrant affair, to an engaged reception throughout the entire set, with much of the room swaying along to the self-proclaimed “quaint and dusty” compositions. The band formed in 2016 in Bristol and has since released two albums and an EP, among a handful of singles, but they have the character of a group that has been around much longer. Playing a selection of released material, among a few unreleased tracks builds upon and evolves their already impressive sound.
Closing out the evening, it’s fair to say that the audience felt treated to a show full of humour, harmonies and charm offered up by groups that oozed an easy sensibility and laid-back sound. If you’re a fan of the indie sleaze revival and want to hear something occupying a distinctive space in the scene, you’ll love Hutch and Spang Sisters. Start with ‘Radiator Centre’ and ‘King Prawn The 1st’ respectively if you’re new here and keep an eye out on their socials for upcoming shows.
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