I am a newcomer, relatively, to the work of Owen Ashworth and chums, having only really become properly acquainted with his work on the release of Etiquette a couple of years ago.  This makes me something of a Johnny Come Lately as far as more dedicated fans are concerned, which is no big deal, but also insofar as his music is concerned, which is more significant.

Etiquette was the first time Casiotone broke away from their eponymous bleepery and truly embraced a more full band sound, which shook the fanbase up a little and made them perhaps a little more palatable to a broader audience.  Including me.

I am not in any way against bare-bones, deadpan music, as any regular reader will know, but this gig almost felt like a microcosm of the neophyte’s journey into the Owen Ashworth canon.  The first half of the show was just the man himself, and an array of equipment somewhat reminiscent of an eighties science fiction set.  For me, this part fell slightly flat.  Not bad, don’t get me wrong, it was enjoyable, just it didn’t seem to be bringing anything else to the party.  I think that the reason for this is probably one of the chief dangers with the use of electronics in a live situation: there is no difference between the sound of a synth played recklessly and one played with metronomic precision.

Consequently, when the guitar and drums came out to play, there seemed to be just a little more character and immediacy to the performance.  There was more room, I guess, for an actual performance, as opposed to a recital.  This opinion may offend the Casiotone purists, but this is my over-riding impression from this gig.

Then again, it may just be the sort of music that builds on you slowly, no matter what the arrangement.  I remember seeing the Arcade Fire in Glasgow a few years ago and it was the same.  At the beginning I felt a little flat, but by the end I was completely caught up in the show: this was just like that.  So maybe the line of reasoning laid out above is valid, and maybe it’s just pish made up to explain the fact that I thought the gig started slowly, but by the end was entirely captivating and an altogether brilliant night.  Me talking pish?  Nah, surely not.

Casiotone For the Painfully Alone – Bobby Malone Moves Home

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Casiotone For the Painfully Alone – Optimist vs. The Silent Alarm (When the Saints Go Marching In)

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