LIVE REVIEW: Exploring Birdsong @ Rebellion, Manchester
While sounding approachable on the surface to any viewer or reader within the scene, Distorted Sound‘s previous cover stars EXPLORING BIRDSONG were ready to break the shape and pave their own take on progressive rock music at their final show of their much-awaited rescheduled UK tour.
Jokily cited as formed in the middle of nowhere in 2019 (Shrewsbury to be precise) and containing a catalogue of two EPs and a handful of singles, TAKE BREATH are a melodic hardcore quintet who grabbed everyone’s attention as they hit the stage. Starting off the night’s events with the intriguing If I See Tomorrow it got a reasonable reaction from their live set committed to their latest material. Though the members were in high spirits after expressing things were going horribly wrong, having Sleep blending their signature melodic sounds brought in their final crescendos The Hand That Guides and Ghosts nicely. The obstinate sound of the riffs combining the passionate melodies resulted in an overall well-rounded sound which resulted in a good set from TAKE BREATH. For those who were not familiar with their music index, all in attendance were thoroughly satisfied.
Rating: 7/10
With the venue starting to fill up, Mancunian math rockers FORAGER exploded onto the set giving their spectators which showed in their frenzied opener Brain-Dead and displaying further flight with their raging single The Worst Minute of My Life (waiting for a October 28th release). As those in attendance trying to keep up with singer Oli’s energy that even at one point had him screeching under the stage, the band sustained their high vigour levels while jesting Arthur, which was in dedication to their guitarist’s late pet dog. Although there was an unfortunate temporary technical moment, the madness couldn’t be hidden with the tracks The Trouble and the unruly Pine, which hit well with the audience. The culmination of Contact High and the unreleased Temper revealed FORAGER their inner chaos on public display. Some may say it was more like a practice run for bigger things in the near future.
Rating: 8/10
It’s usually infrequent to find an ensemble without a lead guitar that can bring life into a live performance. While the stage embraced the piano-driven progressive rock cast EXPLORING BIRDSONG with obligatory atmospheric smoke, the ether was haunting while at points were unruly, jazzy yet harmoniously controlled.
Weaving through the air with Pyre and the dramatically popular The River, the percussive thralling shows the progressive power of the piano without the use of the integral six-string. Lynsey’s formidable words were exceptional when The Sinking Question hit its heavy drama. “See if you recognise this one” teases Lynsey as the air was filled with an enthralling cover of MASTODON’s iconic track Oblivion. To re-create a heavy prose into a charming narrative to be a part of their live set was a great move showing how diverse the Liverpudlian trio were. The gentle jazz of Bear The Weight allowed the audience to embrace the joy which led to the powerful crowd favourite The Baptism.
During the alluring musicianship, the eyes were transfixed on a very gifted troupe that put together a unique experience that exemplifies the ‘less is more’ tactic. Looking from their spectators, one can tell that songstress Lynsey Ward backed by her piano, bassist/keyboard/synths Johnny Knight and drummer Matt Harrison were a sight to behold on a very bare looking stage. Each role was given the opportunity to create an overall sound that was not muddy and without too much going on. It had narrative and a flow that was admired.
The trio ended the night with the spine-chilling The Way Down leading into raindrops for their rich conclusion The Downpour allowing the audio acrobatics to take a hold on the Manchester crowd of the final time. From the enchanting display, EXPLORING BIRDSONG certainly deserves a much wider audience that would give their fans and viewers the chance for their back eclectic back catalogue to be explored without the wild impacts of a small stage. Was it any wonder that the trio were our cover stars before the pandemic? A worthy find for our local scene!
Rating: 9/10
Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Manchester from Sabrina Ramdoyal Photography here:
