EP Review : Kassassin Street - Moloko Vellocet

One thing I pride myself on is covering the endless musical talent that Portsmouth has to offer, one band that are currently creating sounds that no other band in the city are Kassassin Street, a 5 piece previously introduced to SouthSolarCity when they supported Rolling Stone cover stars The Sheepdogs for ClubNME Portsmouth.

Back then they were on the brink of releasing 5 track EP ‘Finger On The Pulse’ a roller coaster recorded ‘in the middle of nowhere, in a barn’. Since then the band have gone on to storm a mid-afternoon set at The Wedgewood Rooms as part of Southsea Fest, to a widely near capacity audience that included myself. It is continuously clear from their most recent set that the band are ever growing and perfecting a sound that could be purposely morphed in many a direction. I pick up just under a week away from the release of new 3 track EP ‘Moloko Vellocet’ with a track run down and overall review.

It’s clear from the outset that EP opener ‘Play Dead’ intents to not do that, a social commentary run down (systematic/democratic/visual dreams with tattered seams) from lead singer Rowan Barnstable is bounded by pounding bass drum while conduced by the ever present pre-90’s shoe gaze guitar sound that Kassassin Street are forever converting to something more modern.

As building bridges goes ‘Play Dead’ could link continents,  the repetitive vocal of ‘I think that we play dead/and keep our heads under the cover’ that follows is somewhat resembling early Kasabian, aside a hybrid Charlatans/Stone Roses bacchanal until the track abruptly ceases.

‘Centre Straight Atom’ proceeds ‘Play Dead’ into a more raucous cataclasm of sounds, a lyrically more aggressive approach comes with a indie/electro edge, adjacent of the more contemporary bands of the late noughties. With their fingers on the pulse, this track has the ability to have feet tapping  and fists pumping among many.

Honorary mention goes to the magnificent drum skills of Kassassin Streets Nathan Hill (below) who continues to give and give to the cause, within the EP he is ever present and clear strong string in Kassassin Streets already strong bow.

If you've ever seen ‘A Clockwork Orange‘, the third and final track on ‘Moloko Vellocet’ is right up your street. ‘Talk In Riddles’ is hypnotising from the off, a psychedelic ode in which where the lead vocals from Rowan are mysterious yet brilliant, while every single member brings their own amount of workmanship to Kassassin Street the sound in which the band makes blends together almost effortlessly and ‘Talk In Riddles’ champions just that.

As the ever growing army behind Kassassin Street marches on ‘Moloko Vellocet’ boasts a maturing band moving forwards, while we can hear the influences the way the band adjust and twist leaves themselves space to grow and continue the journey they are on.

‘Moloko Vellocet’ is officially released on 13th of October at The Fat Fox in Southsea, Portsmouth.

ClubNME Portsmouth with The Sheepdogs & Kassassin Street

I started Saturday 12th May on a train from London Waterloo to Portsmouth, I’d just played Propaganda London with Russ from Bloc Party and DJ Dan. It was a spectacular night.

On my journey south I was blissfully made aware that an impromptu guerrilla gig was to take place in local Southsea shop Dresscode, where ClubNME headliners The Sheepdogs and locals Huw Olesker & The Barebackers were to play.

Fair to say anything impromptu takes a bit of work and effort, pulling numerous strings and a hell of a lot of patience the ClubNME Portsmouth team brought it together and packed out the tiny shop, all of whom attended then taking to social networks to praise and urge all to The Wedgewood Rooms for The Sheepdogs performance that very evening.

Previous ClubNME Portsmouth shows have seen Australian beach pop Bleeding Knees Club, NME lauded Cerebral Ballzy, album chart topping King Charles and indie upstarts TOWNS take to The Wedgewood rooms stage alongside a multitude of local talent to boot which has included Melodramas, Clayton Strange, The Planes and Curxes. With DJ’s poised, doors opened and we began to fill.

First act on the nights bill are indie-electro outfit Kassassin Street, with a recent EP release in motion they plough into their set headfirst. EP opener ‘Finger On The Pulse’ is a build hit, vocal harmonies ensue around a smattering of electronic vibes and some of the best guitar work I’ve seen locally for a long while. Kassassin Street bring 90’s indie to the modern day with their own edge, a set which is both pleasing to the eye and ear.

The nights headlines were Saskatoon, Saskachewans (That’s in Canada) The Sheepdogs. A band heavily praised by Kings Of Leon front man Caleb Followill, A band who are in history the only unsigned band to grace the front cover of Rolling Stone magazine and a band who in the previous few days had played at a venue called Sticky Mikes, which in fact lived up to it’s name.

Draped in late 60s vintage attire, beards a plenty and a handlebar moustache The Sheepdogs eased us all into their set. Closing you’re eyes for a second would instantly transport you from the moody red light of the stage, back into what you could mistake The Wedgewood Rooms to feel like in the 60s.

With a vocal that is clearly from the soul, front man Ewan Currie holds a guitar like a plastic toy (I’m unsure if he is a distant relative to WWF wrestler Big John Studd). Alongside Leot Hanson on guitar, Ryan Gullen on bass and Sam Corbett on drums they play The Beatles meets The Doors in the deep south with influences of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Creedance Clearwater Revival and The Jimi Hendrix Experience.

Throughout the whole set The Sheepdogs entice their audience deeper, while at intervals exchanging banter and anecdotes of back home. Tracks ‘Please Don’t Lead Me On’ and ‘Learn & Burn’ go down well though the odd shout for Lynyrd Skynyrd’s ‘Free Bird’ could be heard on occasions.
Ending their set wasn’t enough for the ClubNME audience though who chanted for more, The Sheepdogs then returned to play well known hit ‘I Don’t Know’ ending with monstrous applause.

It’s clear to see that the sounds that The Sheepdogs are making are seeping into the current musical climate, with bands like Alabama Shakes, Howler and Jack White taking it to the psychedelic euphoric vibe.
For those who attended The Sheepdogs at ClubNME Portsmouth will be well aware they have seen something special and it’s only a matter of time before we see them playing bigger shows and festivals in the United Kingdom.