The Stills

Water Rats, London - 14 Apr 2007

by Jon Fletcher

New old songs mark a blazing return to the UK for The Stills

"I roll up in Kings Cross with a grim sense that I’m going to hate the ‘new sound’ being peddled on the band’s behalf by their ever so accommodating press folk"

Okay, so it’s taken me far too long to write this up, but this gig was too good not keep some record of, so here goes…

The Stills first came to my attention (rather late in the day) when they were referenced in an interview with ascendant singer songwriter Charlie Calleja, an article that sadly sank with the rest of the New Noise archive when we relaunched last September. Anyhow, when I asked what he was listening to at the time, he rather apologetically said ‘The Stills’. Since I generally find myself liking anything other people are apologetic about listening to, I bought a copy of their latest album on Amazon.

Admittedly, it struck me as odd that there didn’t appear to be any UK copies, forcing me to buy a US import, but beyond a moment of mild irritation due to the wait, I thought little more of it. The album arrived and, as expected, I loved it.

One year on and I roll up at the Water Rats in Kings Cross with a grim sense that I’m going to hate the ‘new sound’ being peddled on the band’s behalf by their ever so accommodating press folk. What exactly was wrong with the old sound?

Except (and you probably saw this coming), it turns out The Stills are here to promote the UK release of ‘Without Feathers’ - the album I bought 12 months previously. Due to a ‘difference of opinion’ with their UK label during the promotion of their 2004 debut album ‘Logic Will Break Your Heart’, the band put off releasing the follow-up until signing a deal with fledgling label Drowned In Sound Records (an offspring of the ever-admirable drownedinsound.com).

The band take the stage a little after midnight having travelled from Swindon where they had supported Kings Of Leon. The pub is packed and, judging by the volume of audience participation throughout the set, I have not been alone in jumping the gun on the UK release.

The set is a mix of new and old, or old and new for those looking at things from my befuddled perspective. The PR is right, it turns out – the newer material is different - more thoughtful and melodic than the first album. It somehow feels more grown up, if a little less adrenaline-fuelled.

The absolute highlight is ‘Helicopters’. So gloriously uplifting is this song’s piano core that when another equally rabid fan in the audience pipes up to ask for it a second time, you can only agree. Sadly, the band, selfish bastards that they are, do not.

Even so, this is a phenomenal performance – intimate and intense – by a superb band. Whether or not you had the wherewithal to pick up on them first time around, ‘Without Feathers’ is worth hunting down – an activity that, thanks to the new pairing with Drowned In Sound, should be a darned sight easier than it was 12 months ago.

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