If you want to criticise Eagleowl it is relatively easy to do so – in fact it just requires one word: dirge. When I first saw them the flirted relatively frequently with this particular failing, although I don’t really think they ever quite succumbed to it.

Over the last year or so I think I can safely say that pretty much every performance has been a steady improvement on the last. Each time the morose strings seemed more frequently punctuated with lush harmonies, and each time the mood of the set fluctuated and flickered just that little bit more.

This particular evening was the night of their EP launch, which I’ll review in a day or so once I’ve got to know it a little better, and it was like watching a butterfly emerge from a coccoon. They were confident, absolutely in their stride, and even a little jolly at times. Their music is showing a lot more variation of pace these days, and this seems to have brought the disparate elements of their sound alive, bringing in the various components only when they are really needed to make an impact, rather than their previous omnipresence.

Bart’s growling, sulky guitar has its lighter moments (still not many of course, that would be just plain wrong), the bow on the double bass takes a rest from time to time, the uke brings a little cheekiness, and this all works beautifully well. Rob St. John made a guest appearance on harmonium here and there as well, which added to the depth of the sound. There’s even an appearance by some scratchy electronic textures on Motherfucker, which made me laugh out loud until the loveliness of the song promptly shut me up again.

The sound was gorgeous as well, and I don’t know how much was down to the high, vaulted church hall and how much down to Damon, the sound guy, but there was a richness and a warmth to Eagleowl that I haven’t heard at shittier places like The Ark. For my money, this was the best performance I’ve seen by a band who are steadily improving, and really look to be capable of producing some gorgeous music over the next couple of years. Exciting times indeed.

Eagleowl – Motherfucker

Eagleowl on MySpace