When you've got Damien Hirst and Jarvis Cocker on speed-dial, stardom can only be weeks away. Not that The Hours care for stardom – they’re a little wiser than that. With another collective noun for their name, you may be expecting the latest rabble of indie rock graduates – but you couldn't be more wrong. The Hours possess the hindsight and maturity that the indie scene longs for. Their lyrics are bold and sweeping – a world away from the youthful banter and careless chatter of their floppy-fringed contenders. "It's the greatest comeback since Lazarus," said front man Antony Genn. And he’s talking about himself too - this sort of boorish boasting would make even Mick Jagger blush. But his exaggerations aren't totally groundless. Genn is a battered survivor of the original Brit-pop movement – a rugged Northern former session guitarist who spent the first half of '90s getting rounds in with the likes of Shaun Ryder and Robbie Williams. Then came the drugs. A brutal string of addictions and afflictions which, Genn admits, robbed him of his dignity – and most of his teeth. But for every tooth he lost, he has a story to tell – and that’s what makes their music so engaging. Ali In The Jungle blooms despite the weight of Genn's confessions, while the piano-driven Back When You Were Good is a deeply cathartic collision of irony and personal agony. Musically it’s sound, and lyrically it's mesmerising – and for someone who has spent their life as a session musician, Genn makes an incredibly convincing front man. But other moments in their set don't quite hit the same standard. Love You More is a particular low point – a sorry mix of clichés cocooned in equally stale football metaphors. And I Miss You falls far short of the mark - descending into a shabby and regrettable drone. But while their performance may not always be consistent, it’s always honest and heartfelt. This isn’t music for the sake of music – it’s the sincere spillings of Genn’s mind. And as we know, these things don't always run too smoothly. But fortunately for The Hours, they seem to go rather well tonight. The Hours played at Norwich Arts Centre on Saturday, 3 March, 2007. | 
