Audrey
Live @ The Betsey Trotwood, London, 04/30/05
This was the first time I had been to the infamous Betsey Trotwood, the 60 capacity venue in Farringdon. It's the one venue in London that always seems to attract Swedish bands on their first visit to this country. The sound of Audrey is hard to pin down as they have so many fantastic influences. Prior to seeing the performance I had read about their comparisons to Low and Red House Painters. Whilst Audrey do have their sombre moments, there is also an underlying depth of their songs which suggests that beneath every cloud there is a silver lining. The band is made up of four young girls from Göteborg who display a maturity beyond their years. In fact, it is hard to believe that their recently released EP is their debut. During the performance the only song that the band play from their record is "Box and fights", which is mostly instrumental and builds up into a waltz-like pace, and features a whispered narrative from drummer/vocalist Anna Tomlin. To sum things up, Audrey make music which is as fresh as the morning on a clear spring day. With a little more touring in the UK they could well pick up a sizable cult audience.
- Nick Levine