Eat Your Own Ears at the Roundhouse

One thing I can’t stand about waiting in line outside venues before gigs is all the folks shoving music promotion leaflets in my face. I have to repeatedly mutter my lack of interest to avoid stacks of paper listing bands I don’t care about accumulating in my back pocket.

The one exception to this is Eat Your Own Ears.

It’s not just that they consistently promote the bands I’m into. I know that any bands I see listed on their flyers are bound to be interesting and alternative, yet reasonably accessible. Being promoted by them is almost like a stamp of quality, making EYOE a discerning gatekeeper that shifts through the multitude of indie riff-raff slushing around these days.

Plus, unlike the usual drab promotion flyers handed out around London EYOE marks itself out with colourful graphics that catch the eye with their simple yet sleek designs.

They generally put shows on the in best small-sized venues in London, such as the Lexington and the Electrowerkz. However, in late March they ventured outside their usual comfort zone and put on an event at the Roundhouse. 

It was called ‘Handpicked’, with EYOE showcasing five up and coming bands. 

What made the gig interesting was the fact that these currently small-time acts got to a play in a setting that was more grandiose than they were used to. In addition to the music, there were inventive visuals projected onto the stage, making it a quite a spectacle.

I spoke with the bands playing on the night - Michael Lovett of NZCA/Lines, William Doyle (aka East India Youth), Thomas Saunders from Teleman and Tony Harewood from Paradise. I got their views on Eat Your Own Ears:

Paradise

Paradise was the opening act. Their music was rather wide ranging, starting off by playing a nihilistic dirge that sounded fantastic – though they also played songs that had a hazy feel, making them reminiscent of both My Bloody Valentine and the Animal Collective. They were a five piece band creating a sound that contained keyboards and pounding drums that were mixed in with screeching feedback. They sounded remarkably controlled, being able to create a powerful noise that didn't descend into a muddled mess.

I spoke with Tony Harewood from Paradise just after their performance that night. Keen ears will hear, in the background, a civil exchange of words with a member of the Roundhouse staff who was asking us to leave the area.

Paradise was followed by the second act, East India Youth, which is in fact a one man band consisting of William Doyle. He was probably the most experimental of the acts. He sang with a swoon that reminded me of Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor. When his voice was combined with the layered pulsating chimes of the synths the result was really quite captivating.

East India Youth

Songs such as ‘Dripping Down’ have this splendid uplifting quality. While his last song was a bit too repetitive and self-indulgent for my liking, most of his more experimental pieces (such as a song which consisted entirely of an electronic voice reading out the names of English train stations) were genuinely intriguing, putting both the high quality sound system and large space of the Roundhouse to good use.

I spoke with East India Youth just before the gig. He talked about the Roundhouse and why he doesn't like to be called William Doyle.

The third act was Dark Bells. When Dark Bells were two songs into their set the friend I went with turned to me and said “I’m bored”. I was feeling the same way. They were a 3 piece which played gloomy music with a guitar sound that had a 80s indie metallic clang. However, they did seem to get better as they went on and it was more a matter of the sound not doing the band justice. I think that this is because it’s the singer’s sonorous voice that carries their songs, so once the volume of the vocals was brought to the fore of the mix the band were finally able to come into their own.

Dark Bells

Second to last were Teleman - who out of all the bands playing on the night were the ones that came across as those most likely to make it big. They actually sound almost retro, as in they sound like a lot of the self-consciously kooky bands that were around in the noughties. They remind me of Whitest Boy Alive, since their songs have an underlying groove whilst also having a sense of measured restraint.

Teleman

Songs like their new single ‘Cristina’ went down very well with the crowd and their fantastically poppy songs are clearly ready for a mainstream audience.

I spoke with Tom Saunders, the lead singer of Teleman, after the gig - chatting about sexy music and winning at the Roundhouse.

The headline act was NZCA Lines, a three-piece that is fronted by lead singer/keyboardist Michael Lovett. They have a soulful-electro sound, which packs swooning RnB vocals alongside by sparse percussive monotone synths. On stage they reminded me of the 80s pop style groove of Kindness, though cooler (and less-full-of-themselves).

NZCA/Lines

They finished the night with their song ‘Compass Points’, one of my favourite tracks at the moment, which pleasingly combines ghostly vocals with pulsating synth-beats.

Before going on stage Michael Lovett took some time out to tell me about futuristic sci-fi pop music and how to pronounce NZCA Lines.

Grabbing a photo of myself while waiting for NZCA/Lines

All in all an enjoyable night.

Plus, I got to speak with the bands backstage, making me feel like a proper music journalist for the first time! Very excited to get the backstage pass - though the backstage areas were not nearly as glamorous as I thought it would be. There was the noticeable absence of beautiful groupies. Instead there were tangerines peels and crisps packets strewn over messy dressing room tables... alas, the life of the modern rock star.