K-Rack! That insidious moment when the full whiplash of musical force meets the over-excited senses and the body goes AWOL is what low-tech living-it-up is all about. Gene Loves Jezebel cracked that intoxicating whip. From the mellow threshold of unaccompanied vocal in 'Bread From Heaven'; bursting into the pumping beat of 'Upstairs', they converted initial bewilderment into 100 percent, uncontrolled mayhem. 

Kicking (literally) into "Bruises' - with identical twins. Mike and Jez asymetrically vaulting the stage - Gene Loves Jezebel produce music that puts people on their feet and dancing with an amazing alacrity. 

Catastrophe struck, however, during the frenetic 'Psychological Problems'. With half of the audience in a human pyramid on stage - and remaining there through the reverberating wails of 'Screaming For Emmalene' - sooner or later something had to give. The pyramid collapsed, the audience toppled, and something, somewhere went CRACK! 

The problem is when you've just broken your leg and your howling screams have been misinterpreted as enjoyment, a gentle nudge off- stage by the guitarist is the last thing you require. The first thing is an ambulance. The music stopped, the stretchers arrived, and the Jezebels continued with the thrashing chords of 'Punch Drunk' (pierced realistically by the receding siren bleat of ambulance whisking the legless away). 

Difficult shapes and impassive rhythms, thwarted emotion in a whirl of violent speed, Gene Loves Jezebel may not supply bandages to patch up the debris of an explosive set, but on a muggy night in the middle of nowhere they sure as anything supply one hell of a punch! 
 
 
 

Previous Article

Home

Next Article