Darlia + The Family Rain
Darlia are a three-piece, capable of quiet-loud dynamics and with a singer whose voice goes from a husky whisper to a rasping roar. Because of this they’re already receiving comparisons with Nirvana. On their debut EP Knock Knock the Blackpool band do indeed sound Nirvana-ish, although admittedly this is being very kind to Darlia and not a little harsh to Nirvana. On the track Queen of Hearts the riff explodes in a Nirvana-esque way, only singer Nathan Day doesn’t express pain but petulance. “Oh, aurora borealis,” goes the unexpected chorus, delivered in a moan that is less Cobain than Kevin the Teenager. What we’re hearing isn’t grunge 20 years on but another 1994 standby, the New Wave of New Wave, and bands such as S*M*A*S*H and These Animal Men. It’s punk-pop, with shades of Stereophonics in a very bad mood. Napalm promises much with that title, and the music delivers to an extent, as does the vocal – here, Day reminds us of Liam Gallagher at full pelt, for example on Morning Glory. Choke on Bones has a rhythmic riff that you can imagine proving popular in mosh pits and there is an attempt with the enunciation to mimic Cobain’s narcoleptic disdain, his eruptive ennui.
Metropolis Music presents
Tickets: £11.00 adv
Doors 6.00pm
14+