In recent times, Hull has become one of the most exciting musical cities in the country. Like a shadow in the night, it has been bubbling away under the surface for a long time producing some of the UK’s most inspiring talent. As punters hanging around upstairs in The Hope and Ruin stand, meandering around, nursing a half pint of craft beer discussing plans for a Saturday night – perhaps West Street for a couple or see what is happening at various other venues around the city – Hull’s FRONTEERS take to the stage. Like the crack of whip, the attention turns from their beer, miserable Saturday night escapades and talk of the following week’s work schedule as the command is suddenly pointed four feet away to the stage where four chaps, each enviably young and talented head into their first song ‘Neon Tribe’. It’s set to be half an hour of open mouths and glazed expressions for those in the crowd.
As bands come, comparisons within the FRONTEERS’ bracket tend to linger around The La’s, The Coral and The Last Shadow Puppets. They are a band that for once seem to understand the vital importance of having a substantial chorus. As the band progress through their set, they tick off recent singles such as ‘Youth’ and ‘Idol’. Both songs that pack bags of substantiality and hook within the loud-quiet-loud structure, songs ride a succinct wave of harmony that grips you with it’s embodiment of youthful bliss. Frontman Andy and his partner in crime, James pen harmonies in a bracket that would make Turner and Kane sneer in jealousy, wishing they could write something so elegant without a sight of the sheer arrogance that warps their Dad-away-in-Spain image.
As the band work in a live context, they show that they have the presence to take their vast sound to the masses, the songs rarely linger around the midriff, instead opting to go for the jugular time and time again. There does not seem to be a weak song in the set as they casually guide themselves through the half hour, giving nods to some of Brighton’s intriguing landmarks, for example Darth Vader on roller skates.
The intriguing naivety and innocence of the band onstage is testament to their charm as quite the endearing characters, frontman Andy clearly demonstrates a natural prowess for being on the stage, confidently moving around pulling the crowd into the mindset of being one of the UK’s most enthusiastic talents right now. As the band collapse into recent single, ‘Full Moon’, the first release from their upcoming Streets We’re Born In EP, they really begin to find their groove. Vocals act with grace as they course through the three minute single, ticking off Dylan’s guitar sounds and a monumental chorus. As the band continue to ricochet through their set, it is genuinely a distressing moment to realise they have only been gifted half an hour tonight, this is a band that deserve to take their songs to much bigger stages.
The potential they have proved they possess from such a young age runs not only over a couple of songs but each track they perform tonight captures a little bit of magic that sound musicianship demands. B-sides such as ‘Neon Tribe’ and ‘Even Hearts’ are aired and even still, as b-sides they loom so much larger than other band’s material. The chorus of ‘Neon Tribe’ propels itself forward with it’s drops in and out of the chorus, detailing everyday encounters for any young man in the big wide world, making their songs instantly relatable to any struggling male in the world.
Be it within the charisma of the band, the harmonies that wriggle their way throughout the songs or within the rhythm section, songs show a glimmer of their potential and where they go from here is entirely within their hands. As you see them onstage as a band, it is a crying shame they are not on some of the Summer’s biggest bills. Their talent picks at some of the biggest bands over the last twenty years, obvious influences to many however when you put it through other bands, it always emerges slightly mediocre, slightly dull. The difference when it is put through the lens of FRONTEERS is that it sounds remarkably fresh, intriguing and reminiscent of them alone as a band – it does not hark on nostalgia with semi-average chord progressions and lethargic melodies but instead takes the best of their influences and further pushes it. Keep an eye out for this bunch, they will not stay small for long.
Tom Churchill
Website: fronteersband.com
Facebook: facebook.com/fronteershull
Twitter: twitter.com/Fronteersband