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IN THE CITY // Morning Claws

Leah Gallant

04/05/11

"There's a Westlife style stool at the front. I wonder if they'll stand up at the key change" - Christine McClune. A few of us traipsed down to WhitesTavern last week to check out a friends bands single launch. Mercy.

Slack Magic is the single, Morning Claws is the band. With a mix of 3 different synths, steady beats and the proper use of harmonies, Morning Claws are the soundtrack to your summer.

Opening for them was Tom McShane. We decided that if you collected all the sweat from a Death Cab for Cutie show and let it make music this is what it would sound like, but even dreamier and maybe even sadder. This is a compliment just incase that wasn’t clear. //DCFC are my favourite band ever. ever.// It was simple and you couldn’t help doing a little soft shoe. Tom’s voice is not unlike Ben Gibbard’s(dcfc’s singer) but still unique. The music was earnest and borderline melancholy, a quality I deem respectable. The song Fighter stuck out for me from his set. You can listen to it on his myspace!
Tom McShane

Now, the second band up was Third Man Theme. I stuck around for one song, and then needed to be outside. So, a friend of mine said they were amazing. I do recall being outside and being able to still hear them. During on of their songs myself and my friend Colin started humming the same melody when all of a sudden it dawned on us that it was that Michael Jackson song from Free Willy. Now I’m sure that wasn’t what they were playing, but it could’ve been. So we had a small sing along outside. Apologies to Third Man Theme, I will attend another show you are at and give you a proper review. Until then we can all listen to your demos on myspace!
Third Man Theme

I have seen Morning Claws before and I did like them, but I was also really distracted the last time due to all the sweet compilation cd’s surrounding me at their last gig. It was in the new independent music store in Vic Square, Head. The best of the 80’s and the 90’s. The soundtrack to the television show Miami Vice. “Just great songs” yea, that was an ACTUAL cd. Included but not limited to Drops of Jupiter by Train, Bring me to Life by Evanescence, The Fray, The Calling and much much more…ARE YOU JOKING. Anyway. So I was more than happy to see them again!

First off Morning Claws are super catchy. Driving beats (that’s you, Dan), and non-80’s sounding synth are the framework for their songs. Paul’s voice is complimented by the ladies (Grace and Meaghan) and Chris’s harmonies which blend to give a fuller more ethereal quality. I am so glad someone is using harmonies properly. // I have an issue with people using harmonies all willy nilly. There are too many bands in Belfast that have way too much harmony in their songs, and bad harmony at that. You shouldn’t be able to pick out distinct voices when people are singing harmony, that’s just people singing 3 different things. The point is to blend to create a more interesting sound. I digress // They are fun to dance around to, which for a live show is important. Not only are they fun, but they are solid musicians, so there’s no compromising fun for quality. The songs sound simple but with 3 people playing synth there’s more going on that you realise. Morning Claws are more electronic than other bands in the indie scene here, and I think that sets them apart. So as the summer approaches make sure they are on your ipod as they will set the tone for your summer.
Their single is up on bandcamp and you can listen to it - Slack Magic, as well as We’ll Leave No Skeletons
Morning Claws
Facebook//Morning Claws

IN THE CITY is a weekly article written by
Leah Gallant that looks at city life, culture,
music and events in Belfast.

Tags: Belfast, IN THE CITY, Music