Nutty Indie
With signs marked, 'Repent Repent' on the stage and balloons with the same message circulating the audience, it's instantly evident that The Strange Death of Liberal England are going to be an interesting one to watch.
Their music is a multi-instrumental racket with xylophones and plenty of guitar action with both bass and lead guitarist trying to look as frantic as possible during a ferocious onslaught of rhythm and aggressive sound. The band's energy levels are high for this early on in the day - they're the first act in the Uncut Arena on the last day of Latitude and they're taking no sleepy prisoners! The yelping vocal harmonies are at points a little similar to the dynamics of Arcade Fire, albeit a small screen grungey version. During the booming keyboard intro of 'God Damn Broke and Broken Hearted', bassist (although I'm sure they all actually classify themselves as multi-instrumentalists) Kelly takes to the drums smashing at the kit relentlessly as the four males line up across the stage to create a threatening, raucous output.
The band's all-consuming experimental indie is certainly a pleasure to behold from slow rippling guitar and xylophones to militant drumbeats, the final tune synthesises all of this with a rattle of tambourine slipping its way through the melody like a sinister snake in the grass before an aggressive mix of guitars.
Throughout the set the band communicate only through signs, which is a novel and creative approach, they even manage to thank the crowd through signage at the end of the show. For an opening act, The Strange Death Of Liberal England go down extremely well and noone could call their set boring.