Candyheads

The Candy Heads look like and sound like a band who belong in the charts. It could be the constant pogoing of their bassist, it could be the way the girl guitarist looks like she belongs in the Dandy Warhols, it could be the way the singer doesn’t stop grinning. Then again, it could be because they play an expert blend of pop and indierock. Okay, so there’s nothing here that hasn’t been heard a hundred times before, but it’s done so well it’s forgivable. If you want some musical reference points think The Jelly’s, Gel, a fiercer Ash, or a more inspired Dum Dums.

The set itself ploughs it’s own familiar furrough, plenty of buzzsaw guitars and two vocal harmonies. Mysterious (taped?) keyboard lines pop up from time to time, usually just before the singer pulls off one of his five note solo’s. One track is announced as their first single, “for release to radio”, and another as an “exclusive” MP3 download. Back stage there are some fairly hefty rumbles of a major promo campaign cranking into gear. The set finishes with some 10 minutes to go before the bar shuts so it’s hardly suprising to find the band return to the stage after a bit of cheering (and no records cutting in). Pre-meditated encore? Surely not!

The five boy mosh pit clearly enjoyed themselves. So long as the two blokes in the band can fight off their receding hairlines The Candy Heads could be coming to a Smash Hits tour near you soon.