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Agk Live @ The Big Chill 2004 - A Review
And on the third day the sun rose again. And the sun shone forth upon the people. And verily it was hot. And some of the people sought sanctuary in the tent. But it was hotter within than without. Yet they stayed there.The singer wore a white shirt, an enigmatic smile and the occasional maraca. He had a suave grace and an angelic voice. The keyboard/guitarist had an air of casual concentration about him, savouring each new chord with the knowing satisfaction of a connoisseur. The man behind the rhythm looked the most intensely involved of the three as he moulded pulses and sculpted beats.
AGK tell tales of love and life. Traditional songwriting with a fresh modern edge. And the songs are beautiful: warm notes and swelling chords; the atmosphere swinging from ecstatic to sorrowful and back again; melodies of xylophone and piano often replacing percussion for rhythm. Yet there are drums, from peripheral high-hats to full frontal beats, though the mood is always chill.
The opening track, 'Pling', begins with a Sylvianesque xylophone and peaceful strings. They're joined later by a distant organ to continue in a calming cyclical groove which lulls the audience and prepares them for the rest of the set. The next track, ' The Shortest Romance', starts in much the same way but with the addition of a slow, solid beat which builds and changes, builds and changes. Much more 21st century chill than 80s nostalgia. Unlike the next song, a cover of Duran Duran's 'Planet Earth', sounding very much like it was conceived in outer space. 'Today Yesterday', a song dealing with mournful loneliness and depressing routine, has a plump, steady piano to keep time, with a ticking rhythm and minimalist warbling behind.
The song which moved me the most was 'Neon Dog', a Nick Drake inspired cover. Its opening chords tugged at my heart. The only sounds were a woodwind organ with just a hint of hurdy-gurdy and a near subliminal bass pulse. The lyric was eerily folky and sung with such sorrow that I broke into tears.
The music is a mine for trainspotting deconstructionist types, ever ready to name check and cross reference, but its rich quality makes it a joy to any listener, anywhere.
Mike the Chef
More about AGK here
AGK official website here
Buy AGK's EP, 'The Shortest Romance' here
Written: 11th Oct, 04
Read: 4467 times
