Friday 8th January

Written by Hannah Hassack

Micheal Kilbey- lead vocals, guitar & Oboe
Craig Brown- Guitar and Vocals
Adriel Thomas- Bass
Joel McBride- Drum & Vocals

Born from the aftermath of the split up of The Franks- Q Magazine’s 2008 New Talent finalists- Harrison Hope, a four-piece band from North London, are led by their passionate, persistent and unquestionably talented lead singer/song-writer Michael Kilbey. Michael’s resolute involvement with Harrison Hope, which he affectionately abbreviates to “Hope”, is potent and his intense resolve for the band and its future has founded the basis of the group’s collective musical potential. The group’s already compelling history adds acute depth to the heartbreakingly poignant and brilliantly indulgent sounds created by this brilliant quartet.

In The Troubadour, in West London last Friday, I enjoyed an acoustic version of the band, as Michael was representing them supported only by Craig on guitar and vocals. Though this meant I didn’t get to hear the full scale powerful sound of Harrison Hope live, it did allow me to appreciate Michael’s vocal range and the acoustic talents of the band in their original state. I suspected the lack of percussion would be an indulgence rather than a loss, and Michael & Craig didn’t disappoint, but rather surpassed my hopes.

The duo began the set with Mr Fall from the Sky, which consisted of an engaging introduction of lyrical repetition that swiftly launched into a full-on, buoyant and punctuated sound. The upbeat percussion throughout the track was intermittently broken up by moments of slower melodies, and though the lyrical foreground of the tune was somewhat solemn, the full flight of the sad song contrarily manifested itself in an upbeat manner. Perhaps one of the more “poppy” songs played on the night; Mr Fall from the Sky was everything the boys needed to capture initial interest amongst the audience, as the fast pace and lyrical reverberation left no room for distraction, but made for a very engaging track. Michael’s strong, anthemic voice demonstrated a lot of scope and comprehensively blanketed the room with every note of this first song.

Throughout the gig, the boys made compelling viewing and Michael in particular immersed himself in his music- the “entertainment” aspect of the performance worked out as a natural bi-product of his unyielding passion and affection for all he was singing for. Songs like So much Love In This Room added a more rocky edge to the set and kept the performance boisterous, while the penultimate performance of I Told You I Was Crazy Sweetheart- a slow, sad, balletic number- alleviated the intense energy of the preceding tracks, in time for the finale. Now available to buy on iTunes, the morose I Told You I was Crazy Sweetheart is sung with a poignant, heartbreaking ardour and Michael’s southern accent filtrating unaffectedly into the song complimented the honest and meek tone of the song.

The band surpassed themselves with each track, but in my opinion saved the best until last. Finishing up with a quirky number called The Wild; the song began in a nostalgic, earthy style and insinuated melancholy, similar to the distinctively baroque sound of groups like The Fleet Foxes. Moving into deeper melodies, beneath lyrics sang in a syrupy howl, the song became heavier in sound; the profound percussion and reverberating bass encouraged the semantic aspect of the song, but the vocals did not lose their shape, as Michael revealed again his extensive vocal range. The melancholic overtones of the lyrics and crescendos in his voice combined to generate a sense of crying, reflective of the heart-rending love theme.

Harrison Hope show profuse flair in their ability to generate poignant, yet charming sounds and they have already put together a prominent portfolio of emotionally charged tunes. The band’s energetic combination of pensive and soulful tracks fall somewhere between melodic rock and authentic indie, and create a sound that ultimately makes for fervent and relatable listening. Their collection has already proven popular amongst the crowds who have been lucky enough to stumble across them, having earned instant airplay on BBC radio as well as one-off support slots with The Futureheads & Ladyhawke. Yet Harrison Hope’s musical command merits much wider appreciation and this is something they seem destined to achieve.

Harrison Hope are next playing as a full band on January 27th at 333 Motherbar, Old Street, London

And for a preview, their sound can be heard at http://www.myspace.com/harrisonhope

Single I Told You I Was Crazy Sweetheart can now be purchased on iTunes http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/i-told-you-i-was-crazy-sweetheart/id348379986?i=348379997