Unobtrusive Yet Implacable

Callum Crumlish feels the build-up of support for Tweed & Hyenas.

Most of the bands you find in post-millennial pubs are aiming for the catchiest hook or the most technically proficient breakdown. Sometimes they strive, sadly, for the stage presence of a colossus bestriding Wembley Stadium, usually by playing as loud as possible in order to trap people’s attention. Thankfully Tweed & Hyenas are cut from a different cloth – more subtle, and far more effective.

Their unobtrusive beats allowed the customers of the New Cross Inn to go about their drinking and conversing, not necessarily noticing that everyone in the room was gradually being drawn into a slow and methodical rhythm. To achieve their implacable flow, T&H make up for not having a bass guitarist by incorporating a second drum kit into the mix, marking the end of each bar with extra impact. By the end of the set, the crowd that had been oblivious to the band was now moving in unison to the soulful, entrancing voice which dripped from singer Klæmint.

Captivating though Klæmint’s voice is, on this night the mix emphasised vocals to the detriment of some impeccable lead guitar; and subtle trills and riffs wrapped up within this funky package may have been lost underneath root-note-based slams.

Although I was first drawn to T&H by how simple and catchy their music is, seeing that they can do more than funky-jams makes me optimistic for their future.

Formed by students at Goldsmiths’ College, the night they played the New Cross Inn they had only been together in earnest for a couple of weeks. Despite this short lifespan, their first single, ‘Norðasta Horn’, has been picked up by the discriminating crew who run New Cross Records—a small record label based in, you guessed it, New Cross.

callumhyenascropped

You can catch Tweed & Hyenas’ shows by visiting their Facebook page, or check out their music on their soundcloud.

https://soundcloud.com/tweedandhyenas

https://www.facebook.com/tweedandhyenas

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