 | | Palace Fires |
Far from the explosive sounds of Oasis, Franz Ferdinand, The Arctic Monkeys, bands that have in recent years caused a stir too loud to ignore, Palace Fires rely on the beauty of their subtlety to draw their audience in. Not needing to play in such a way that gives no choice other than to listen, they do their own thing, humbly and to perfection, until the rest of the room catches on. Kicking off with the infectious Caught In The Shadows, the set delivers a batch of heart-rendering ballads, offering yearning, sensual verses that crescendo into glowing anthemic choruses. From the pulsating force of Never Gonna Get Away to the sublime soothing tones of Fear Of Falling, Palace Fires wear their hearts on their sleeves, uplifting and wooing their audience. Seeing a band play so selflessly, allowing each instrument its own voice, is always a pleasure to see, rare though it may be. The rhythm section, so often merely a rhythmic backbone on to which the rest of the band hangs, is tuneful, melodic and delightfully dynamic. Guitar riffs become voices, gently undulating with the vocals before launching into the most absorbing solos, proffering delicate and composed precision. And flowing above the illustrious musical interpretation is a voice that you could never tire of hearing. Purely enchanting, it swoons from rich depths to the heights of a glowing celestial falsetto, never faltering. Ending a genuinely sanguine performance with Start The Fire, Palace Fires leave Oldham having ignited something much bigger. |
