South Sea Company Prospectus @ The Wheatsheaf, 22/02/02
There's something around in Oxford, which makes bands lack vocalists, and just let their instruments lead in performing instead. For the entire evening, not one sung vocal was heard, which was a good thing, considering how sometimes it's just the vocalist that could ruin a band. However not having a vocalist is not a surefire way to success, as openers R-Cane showed. They had good ideas, but their songs ended up sounding like jam sessions, lacking that killer hook. They were just a metal band who left their vocalist at home.
The stools came out for Mountain Men Anonymous, and that was their approach to their music. Stoolrock, but again without a singer. Their songs seemed to drag on for too long.
However the best new local band of the moment, South Sea Company Prospectus, came and rescued the evening. They stand on the line between Rock and Dance, sounding like a punkier version of Death in Vegas. With their synthesisers lead songs, they sound like how a band in the 21st Century should sound like, with their wizzy electronic noises. All we need now are the tinfoil space suits. Recent single She Makes Me Nervous, is still a highlight of the set, the song sounding tighter and louder than on record. The spaceshuttle's about to take off, will you join the ride?