Extreme Listening Mode!

Fram are a Glasgow band who came to our attention earlier this year with their debut album ‘This Is How We Live Now’ (see reviews). An unashamedly post-rock band, we enjoyed their delicate, fragrant shards of anti-pop. But there was, as we headed off towards the gig, a certain disquiet as to how they would translate it live. Would the brittle beauty of the record be smashed in the live arena?

Thankfully, they inject their live display with more sturdiness and (wonderfully) don’t have to trade any beauty for the extra beef. Sure, they will never be be balls-out, foot on the monitor rockers, but the British music scene is filled with bands who do that. Clearly more Sigur Ros than Springsteen, they allow the music to breathe and the organic nature of much of their work comes to the fore. It’s a well-paced set too, and it is clearly the work of a band who are aware just how much potential they have and happy to let the music speak for itself. It’s an ethereal, melodic and inspiring sound and it’s as tight as two coats of paint. The closer ‘Endurance’ is simply awesome, bringing to mind the power of Joy Division at their most masterful.

It’s so refreshing to see a band with sonic ambitions and one who clearly don’t pander to the lowest common denominator. The thing I like most about them is that they don’t patronise their audience; there is a great vibe of ‘we like this; we think you will like it too’ and to be fair, the crowd certainly do. Maybe they aren’t getting the attention that, say, Glasvegas are getting because they focus on substance over style. Fram may never sell a million records, but every copy they sell will be loved. And isn’t that the point?

Filed under: gigs Tagged: | alt.rock, Alternative, Fram, joy Division, Live, post-rock, this is how we live now