It’s a sweltering shock to the system, a baking hot April evening where the mercury has risen twenty fold in a matter of days. Oslo, just off the Hackney Central train, is sticky as humidity seeps past the security without a ticket and clings to the walls.
Desperate Journalist have barely stepped off the plane from Germany and they have a home town gig to celebrate the release of the You Get Used To It E.P, five brand new songs from the Bevan/Hardy factory of Post – Punk perfection. Bedecked in fairy lights, the Oslo stage is prepped for the best band in the country.
Bewitching, beguiling, beautiful quadruple headed creature. Individually they stalk the stage, flail, spring and stomp but are as one, underpinned by a rhythm duo as syncopated and in sync as required, Simon wielding his bass part Peter Hook part Nicky Wire and every part their peer.
Intense, introspective Jo Bevan looks out across the heads and castigates and cajoles her former and future self. Normally her red microphone cord is wrapped around her neck and body restraining, preventing, protecting herself and others, but tonight the stand is draped in the lights so these are hung around her neck, lighting up her face which only adds to the intensity of her delivery.
The visceral tornado that is Desperate Journalist greet us with ‘Incandescent’ the opening track from the new E.P, the first of three tracks taken from the new release but the bulk of the set is still almost exclusively taken from last year’s exquisite album Grow Up, with the exception of ‘Control’ midway through and then ‘Cristina’ in the encore from their eponymous debut L.P and the final surprise of the first song they ever wrote, ‘Kitten’.
‘Why Are You So Boring’ should really be a sure fire mosh pit starter, and one day it will be, ‘Be Kind’ is an Indie Classic in the making underpinned by Caz Hellbent going hell for leather in the chorus, pounding the skins like the reincarnated ghost of John Bonham. ‘Hollow’ is so understated and minimalistic for so long, brilliant for as much about what isn’t there as is, but then it explodes in the chorus with Bevan bellowing “Hollow, hollow, hollow, hollow. I’m hollow, hollow, hollow” with more fire in her belly then most can muster.
‘Purple’ is the breather in the middle of the set, reflective and introspective with a chorus that threatens to sore through the roof but holds back for what is yet to come.
‘Lacking In Your Love’ begins in a similar vein but allows itself to take off at the climax “I’ll show you all the lacking in your love”, the heaviest moment of the set, Rob’s Rickenbacker snarling when so often intricate and delicate. It’s as threatening as it is compelling.
Tonight had a similar feel to the Scala a year ago, a pivotal moment in the bands history and development. Another packed night in London Town and then they’re off. Brighton the next day but there’s seldom opportunity to catch them again this year.
Their stock is rising and the sky is the limit. They are one of the most vital bands around and they’ve made us a promise too. “It gets better”! We’d better get used to it.
