Live

Manola

Alex Worsnip 05/07/2006

Manola continue to impress with their blend of indie, grunge and prog-rock. Coming on at times like a Jeff Buckley type fronting Rage Against The Machine, they gain in consistency and focus through their set, hitting their stride with the ferocious 'Chewy' and the sparser 'On The Way Out', which hints at Eastern influences. Best of all though is the new track 'The Water' which is simultaneously both their most direct and accessible track to date as well as being rich, complex and layered; it succeeds in making their sound, which at times harks back to a bygone era, immediately relevant now. Tonight in their biggest venue to date, Manola seem confident and benefit from the space to let their huge sound expand. On a bill otherwise filled with some excruciatingly bad recycled punk-pop, they are a breath of fresh air and even win over some new fans. Hopefully in not too long they will be filling such venues up, as it would be a shame to let their promise go to waste.