Jaws, Bungalows and Bears

It’s just over a year since Jaws played their first gig, and music fans in Sheffield are out in force to help them celebrate the anniversary. The guys are fresh off tour with both Swim Deep and Kate Nash, and the band has rapidly become ones to watch in recent months. Musically they’ve been compared to Foals, Vampire Weekend and Beach Fossils, except without the yelping vocals. Instead, singer Connor Schofield’s blunt tones cut through their dreamy melodies creating a contrast reminiscent of the 90s grunge greats.

Support comes from purveyors of ‘noise pop’ Playlounge, who bring their own brand of thrash-inspired grunge rock to Bungalows and Bears’ humble stage. Next up are local boys Tropic of Youth, a relatively new act. Their danceable beats and tight melodies compliment the more mellowing-sounding Jaws. Their sound is already well-honed and fits in with the wave of tropical-inspired surf rock which has graced our ears of late.

Jaws shuffle into their on-stage positions bedecked in tie-dye and beanies, which seems to have become the uniform of the booming Birmingham music scene. Highlights include track ‘Toucan Surf’; a perfectly formed snippet of synth-pop, recently featured on Radio 1. New single ‘Friend Like You’ has a grungier feel to it, slightly tinged with a psychedelic sound. Their inspiration varies from dance acts like New Order to acts such as Smashing Pumpkins, and this variation in musical tastes is clearly reflected in their recent releases.

The four-piece are often compared to fellow Brummies Swim Deep, and the comparison is not unjustified. Both bands, along with Peace are at the forefront of the burgeoning wealth of talent coming from the West Midlands in recent month. With a sell-out show in their home town coming up the week after, Jaws are visibly buoyant and their confidence is clearly growing.

They don't shy from self-deprecation though, with Schofield asking "Has anyone ever been to Birmingham? It's shit, it's really shit." Normally I’d be inclined to agree, but after this performance it’s clear that the West Midlands really is an unlikely hotbed of talent that is definitely living up to the hype.

 Thursday 4th April @ Bungalows and Bears, by Semi Detached