The Answering Machine

KCLSU,

London

20/05/09

 

Manchester quartet The Answering Machine fizz onto the stage at Kings College with a real sense of urgency that was noticeably missing from their shows The Fly had caught in the capital 18 months previously. Punchy opener ‘Rose’ is a rallying cry that largely does its job as the unassuming Twisted Wheel audience (whom The Answering Machine are supporting) turn their collective attention to the spiralling ‘woooooooahs’ eminating stagewards.

What The Answering Machine do is energetic, chorus-fuelled, jaunty indie-pop, and they do it very well indeed. Recent single, the intriguingly Feeder-esque ‘Cliffer’ is a boisterous, hook-laden song of huge scope. Having toured extensively over the past two years with the likes of Casiokids, Good Shoes, The Teenagers, Ra Ra Riot, and Bombay Bicycle Club, The Answering Machine’s indie credentials are suitably well polished and largely leap-frog their old tour buddies in the tune stakes.

Tonight, new meets old, with early b-side ‘Oh Christina’ sitting comfortably alongside the likes of forthcoming album track ‘Emergency’ ,and new Skins anthem in waiting, ‘Obviously Cold’, out-dancing the infectious ‘Oklahoma’ with much vigour. The readied debut album ‘Another City Another Sorry’ promises much.

As vocalist Martin Colclough’s boyish charisma and flair bounces off the walls, and bassist Gemma Evans slinks and shimmies through a tight, polished set, it could possibly be that The Answering Machine’s stop-start rise to indie dancefloors is readied for the mainstream.

A forthcoming support tour with The Manic Street Preachers should be the last time these

Manchester youngsters are on as the doors swing open. But if not? We’ll still be dancing.

Robin Gretsch