It’s been just three months since Methyl Ethel released their debut LP Oh Inhuman Spectacle, but in that time the band’s profile has significantly blossomed. Despite signing with Remote Control Records’ Dot Dash imprint, the Perth trio were largely unknown away from their home city prior to the album release. In the past few months, though, they’ve jumped on stage at every opportunity, supporting the likes of San Cisco and The Babe Rainbow, and playing various label showcases and mini-festivals. As a result, they’ve gained an animated following and honed their approach to live performance.
This brings us to tonight – a sold out Melbourne show as part of the official album launch tour. Oh Inhuman Spectacle is a deftly-carved work of guitar-led indie pop that flirts with trip hop beats and psychedelic electronics. It’s the product of frontman Jake Webb’s studio experiments, and not all of it lends itself to live performance. Never mind that though, as the threesome gave us a detailed presentation of the album material, with an extra dose of gusto.
While the rhythm section were unwaveringly precise, most impressive was Webb. Despite the impression he gives of being a delicate, marginal character, tonight he was utterly in charge of proceedings – belting out vocal lines and adding the occasional histrionic embellishment. Meanwhile, he made use of a massive pedal board and two guitar amplifiers to impressively represent the layered sonics heard on record.
It’s been a busy few months for Methyl Ethel, but that seemingly hasn’t slowed Webb’s creative spirit, as the setlist included a number of yet-to-be-released numbers. On an album launch tour, devoting considerable time to new material could be somewhat disappointing, but that concern was nullified by the strength and enveloping immediacy of the handful of tracks debuted.
Oh Inhuman Spectacle is a worthy candidate for the year’s top releases, and tonight’s show made it clear that we’ll be hearing plenty more from Methyl Ethel in the future.
BY AUGUSTUS WELBY
Loved: Three-piece power.
Hated: The relative brevity of the set.
Drank: Suspiciously.
