When band members start grappling with each other on stage it’s usually the prelude to a break-up or at the very least a sulky solo album. For Canadian newcomers July Talk, it was an integral part of their performance.
The band name is partly a reference to the idea of fleeting summer romance and also a nod to the conversational, two-way vocals of Leah Fay and guitarist Peter Dreimanis, which frequently turned physical at this tour finale.
During the primal, bluesy stomp of The Garden, Dreimanis screamed and hit himself in the face. Before long he and Fay were interfering with each other mid-song: a slap, a sudden poke or a stray hand attempting to smother the other’s singing.
A curious element of performance art, or an attention-grabbing gimmick? After this playful, intense gig from July Talk, I’m still undecided.
At least there were none of the self-inflicted injuries reported by Dreimanis at previous concerts, though he was a live-wire for much of this frenetic show.
His gravelly voice has been compared to Tom Waits, and when he sang over the scorching riffs of Summer Dress it was like being serenaded by the Cookie Monster. Fortunately, Fay’s sunny rock vocal was able to balance the rough with the smooth.
It made for a winning combination on Guns + Ammunition, which featured majestic guitars as well as whooping harmonies from the rest of the band, who are fated to remain in the shadows.
It’s still early days and not every tune merited the excitement that July Talk seemed to expect. But there was no doubting the musical chemistry of this intriguing rock couple.
Latest music reviews
