CONCERTREVIEW : THESE NEW PURITANS (BRUSSELS, BOTANIQUE 27/04/2010)

Honestly said, it took a while before I liked their "Hidden"-album as I was too much in love with their Fallesque sound on the previous "Beat Pyramid" and secondly : the term "art rock" frightens the hell out of me.
From the day Jack Barnett declared that he wanted "dancehall meets Steve Reich" as the new band's sound everyone thought he was going bonkers and the first reviews from "Hidden" weren't that raving.
I guess this album is a grower as they say, and the more I heard it, the more I liked it, simple as that.
Anyway, these lads should have played at the Botanique-venue months before but that other British hype, The XX, took them on tour but today they were alone...ready to prove themselves...
The gig started as the album and so the Wagneresque "Time Xone" brought the foursome on stage and from the moment George Barnett (singer Jack's twin brother) beat the drums it was clear that the sound of this band is heavily dominated by its drumsound.
Not that there are that much guitars to be heard in These New Puritans as the deadcute Sophie Sleigh-Johnson played the keyboards and if Thomas Hein wasn't MC'ing he bang a second drum which was surrounded by chains, a banging that gave the band an extra militaristic dimension.
MC'ing, you say? Well, it's not rapping but some sort of...which isn't that surprising if you know that Jack states RZA from Wu Tang Clan as one of his biggest inspirations.
As awaited the band played the whole of "Hidden" and we got two unreleased tracks in where it seems the band is going into an other 3rd direction, more guitar, more dancey...perhaps more into the Bloc Party-direction.
Anyway this gig proved that These New Puritans are here to stay as they own a lot of talent even if it's not sure if the direction from "Hidden" will be a definite one.
Why stick to one trick anyway....