Guillemots – 29 March 2006 – King’s College, London

If you’re going to call yourself Guillemots, then beware – there are going to be pretentious traps waiting for you around most, if not all, corners. This evening, however, this four-piece band, with an eye for the (feathered) birds, have a few tricks up their sleeve to slow the descent.

The set begins with all four walking through the audience blowing party horns and thrashing cowbells. Confused? Deep breath, dear, for before you know it, lead singer Fyfe Dangerfield is now on stage alone, singing ‘My Chosen One,’ a haunting star with echoes of Rufus Wainwright at his ‘Want One’ best.

Recent single ‘We’re Here,’ with its breezy Talk Talk-like refrain, also impresses. Indeed, the line “the world is our dancefloor” could be one of the most uplifting of 2006.

Other songs, like ‘Who Left the Lights On’ (a myspace favourite) and ’Train from Brazil’ (which gets the warmest reaction) back up this “we-might-be-on-to-something-with-this-lot” feeling.

The odd moment, however, specifically in encore track ‘She’s Evil,’ which is more noise than tune, confirm that rough edges remain, but, in time, we might be on to something with this lot.