Jeans Goes POP!

The Forth is a slightly incongruous setting for a gig. Tucked away in a back alley, it’s a bit of a hidden gem and feels like one of those places where you could stumble upon something special.

The intriguingly named Jeans Goes POP! (with obligatory exclamation mark, of course; pictured) immediately catches the eye. Watching ‘Jeans’ set his equipment up I’m wondering what the hell I’ve let myself in for. Strapped to a keyboard is a bass drum, snare and tambourine operated by pedals. It looks complicated but all thoughts of dodgy one man-band clichés are immediately flung from my mind as soon as he begins to play.

Jaunty piano, simple toe-tapping beats, and an exquisite voice: it’s a welcome break from the traditional singer-songwriter fare and the arrangement of percussion and piano is so interesting to watch it becomes quite mesmerising. I’m in awe most of the way through his set, wondering how the fuck he’s managing to play four instruments at once and not falter one bit.

The slightly camp lyrics of 'Glad You’re Gone', coupled with the deep inflection in his voice, is almost Rufus Wainwright-esque, while the production of a copperphone mic during 'Our Love Is Bleeding' – a haunting tale of a broken heart – creates instant interest, morphing his voice into a metallic, muffled growl. 'Stop Me Falling Into The Void' is all frustrated anger and complicated beats underpinned by forceful piano and - the staple of any one man-band - a kazoo solo, on a bright green one at that.

While pretty much every song in Jeans Goes POP!’s set leaves me mesmerised, it’s set closer 'Technicolor' that wins me over. It's an instant classic: slightly Bowie-esque lyrically, with energetic beats, beautiful lyrics and a stonking chorus that I was singing for the rest of the night.

The fact that tonight is Jeans Goes POP!’s first live appearance makes the quality of his set even more astounding. A definite one to watch – in every way. Cedar Noir however, are a very different kettle of fish. Usually a four-piece but tonight stripped down to a duo with acoustic and electric guitar, their countrified folk is a long way off the exciting innovativeness of the previous act.

While I’m not exactly a fashion connoisseur myself, the electric guitarist really needs to find a new tailor. While his female counterpart hees and haws in an increasingly annoying over-the-top American accent, the guitarist proceeds to preen and posture like Eric Clapton crossed with Justin Hawkins. His bent at the knees, eyes closed, fiddly guitar playing is laughable and, while it’s obvious he’s a decent musician, he couldn’t look more stupid if he put his foot on the monitor and peeled off a widdly solo.

The female singer, meanwhile, meanders through a few songs alongside him with a barely audible acoustic guitar; I don’t catch any song titles because, quite frankly, I’m really not interested enough. Every song sounds the same and they look completely uninterested in their own music.

Catching the words ‘Jesus’ and ‘Tallulah’ in the same sentence nearly has me running for the door, and sticking it out in the name of journalistic integrity doesn’t bring any rewards – just more of the same dull half-arsed country folk. No songs, no personality, and a guitarist that looks like he was about to burst a capillary any second. In all honesty, Cedar Noir steal away the longest twenty-five minutes of my life.

A gig of two halves, if ever I’ve seen one.