Cult Called Man, The Grand Social, Dublin
- Written by Marky Edison
Tonight is the launch for Cult Called Man's new single 'Make It Easy' in The Grand Social. CCM are a band who have, over the past four years, played all round the country with intelligent, accessible music delivered with a style and élan often missing from the indie scene. It's easy to spot the band in the venue, they're the best dressed people in the room. They certainly have the loudest trousers.
'Make It Easy' is the follow up to last July's 'Mr. Wednesdae' which they launched in Whelan's. A year on and the debut album is in the can. Tonight is the beginning of the promotional campaign which will see them playing just about every festival in the country. There's a projector screen at the back of the stage showing TV static which sporadically cuts to a CCM test pattern.
The first six songs are delivered without pausing for breath with the Meath six-piece harmonising with apparent ease. Lead singer Razmo has become the frontman he always promised to be, with the moves and stagecraft to match his incredible voice. The band are as tight as ever. It's mostly new material tonight with old singles like 'Mr. Wednesdae' and 'The Walkyr' notably absent from the setlist. The band's performance is so unified that they even move alike. They appear to take real pleasure in performing these songs.
The theatrical presentation of 'The Martian' has the guitar and backing vocals playing the part of a retro sci-fi alien monster. There's a touch of Talking Heads about them, particularly when Razmo yelps like David Byrne. The band are joined by a brass section of sax and trumpet for 'Shut Up And Glow'. The six becomes eight and the bass player has to sit at the front of the stage to make room for everyone. CCM have a restrained sound for a six-piece. They don't need every member playing all the time. As a result there is a real dynamism to the music with every note serving the tune and when they do all play together it is more effective.
'Make It Easy', the single they are here to launch, has an '80s white soul feel, Like David Bowie around that time, with falsetto harmonies. It is short and snappy with some Queen style flourishes. The heat under The Grand Social canopy would be considered unseasonable if it weren't July but after six weeks of rain it still comes as a surprise. Thankfully there are a multitude of fans hanging from the rigging. The band inform us that they aren't doing an encore because the pretence of encores is lame. And there I thought they couldn't go up further in my estimation. They finish in truly climactic fashion. The brass section returns and the whole band dance in unison for 'Kaddilak Kids' and a prepared crowd-pleasing outro. Masterful.