Every so often rock n roll throws up a new act.  Its ability to surprise, captivate and make you realize once again, how it feels to first discover some of your favourite bands is one of the best buzzes of going to gigs.

I had dropped into the the dimly lit cavern of Nice N Sleazy to watch Times New Viking, a band who as experts in  low-fi fuzz and noise and hailing from Columbus, Ohio had intrigued me on the likes of spotify and last.fm. but instead of sitting down to write about them, I am devoting my attention to Yuck who quite simply, in a very understated and fashionably shy way stole the show for me tonight!

Trying to liken this band to genres past, and bands which they aspire to sound like, seems a little unfair, at such an early point in their game. This is one of their first gigs outside London and noone has a clue who they are watching. The simplicity of their blend of new wave guitar pop and the combination of driving guitars and urgent vocal melodies got me interested straight away. The catchy opener ‘the wall’ rattles along at a good pace and recalls a whole scene of bands in resembling the ethos of The Lemonheads, Pavement, The Candyskins and the mighty Sonic Youth to name a few. The hazy lyrics ‘try and make it through the wall’ and ‘its just the way that I feel’ seem to define a band setting out on a journey with a bright future. Their own take on all things non manufactured, alternative and immediate may not easily fit into the mainstream music industry today, but the world is definitely better off with bands like this around.

Formed from 2 members of the no longer together ‘Cajun Dance Party’ who on guitar and bass pen the current songs with the addition of a bassist from Hiroshima and a big drummer from New Jersey, with a highly respectable afro haircut, they are currently touring the UK and coming to a town near you.

With no official release available yet, myspace gives you an idea of what to expect but their music live has a rawness and warmth which sit well together, and will get you looking out for more from this act and might even get some hairs to stand on end if you’re lucky.

For more on Yuck  see www.myspace.com/yuckband

For photos from this gig and more see Tom’s flickr : www.flickr.com/tom_manley

By Tom Manley on March 22, 2010