It was back in early March last year that I had the pleasure of taking in POSE‘s first ever gig just off the main thoroughfare of Camden Town. At the time, the band’s first live showcase (The Fiddler’s Elbow) was to be the first of many, as the band got to terms with their live act. Obviously due to the global virus, getting anything up and running in 2020 was near on impossible. Fast forward a whole discombobulated calendar year and POSE’s debut single is finally here and it certainly doesn’t disappoint.
The UK trio, formed of Richard Stephenson (bass), Ryan Lee (guitar, synth, Backing vocals) and fronted by the talented Jessica Montgomery (guitar, vocals), have just dropped their opening single Ten Miles. A highly accomplished outfit, it is a solid taste of what’s to come. Calm and carefully constructed alternative rock.
Ten Miles has already received some high praise, earning an early spin on BBC Radio Wales prior to its release last Friday. Amazing Radio have also shown early interest.
That POSE gig down in Camden was one of the last gigs I managed to catch before lockdown 1.1 – The bill that night was really fun, looking back. Opening proceedings there was a raucous and outrageously over-the-top punk band spraying the crowd with saliva and almost decapitating a couple of audience members with a swinging bass guitar. Following those lunatics, Leeds-based frog-rock collective SHAKU wow-ed the eager crowd with their blend of exuberant and uplifting anthems.
Headlining, POSE graced the stage (then, a four piece) with a calculated and well-structured set of unreleased works – Montgomery’s voice standing out immediately. Tasked with following the infectiously energetic SHAKU, POSE did a good job mellowing out the room. A wash of rippling bass-notes, shimmering synths and high-pitched vocals descended on the small music room. The band’s sound, a nice mix between melancholy and more heavier rock elements. I suppose Ten Miles is a pure example of what this band are all about. Smooth, meticulously crafted verses with a little more grungy punch come chorus-time. A band with a big future.
As things are returning to normal soon, make sure (if you live in London) to squeeze a POSE live gig into your post-lockdown itinerary’s. I am anyway.
About ‘The Sound Sniffer’
The Sound Sniffer is a one-man music blog which is still only a baby – Founded by Kevin Coakley, a music writer and ghostwriter, in early 2019. ‘The Sound Sniffer’ also runs gigs and showcases in London since Oct 2019. The showcases are picked from artists found in the blog’s submission inbox.
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