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| REVIEWS | BY PAUL COWLING |
 David Shah |
If its anything, its PIL meets The Smiths. If it’s a new genre it’s a New Rockmanticism of guitar lunges from Rob Britton and deft synth from keyboarder Alex Potterill with his Andy McCluskey (OMD) look and the deadpan mannerisms of The Spark’s Ron Mael – minus the Hitler tache. But it’s David Shah’s (pictured) singing that is the crux. A gentle, Marc Almond cabaret style, where those hushed tones are never lost in all this well blended instrumentalism. In his jet black mod suit and with his raven haired side fringe, Shah’s velvet voice is utterly convincing on the pleading, grabbing song We are The Resistance. It became falsetto on Relief and pretty damn ironic on the almost folksy ‘Exhibitionist’, with the splendid line “From the Highlands to the Cotswolds. From the East End to The Wash”. The Luxembourgeoise lyrics are thought provoking, poetic and deadpan funny in a very Pet Shop Boys way. The way to deal with an unfaithful partner on ‘(I need) A Little Bit More (Than You Can Give)’, is to say “I came home early. Found you with the local football team. I don’t think you were discussing the finer points of the off-side rule.” These may be true words spoken in jest, but Luxembourg, collect maximum points for originality. “We’re Luxembourg” Shah coyly says throughout this short, sharp set. It’s this immodest? Confident? way of getting their name known, that will win them friends, while down-to-earth energy and faultless performances like this will hopefully win the fans. Alas, I fear Luxembourg will remain within that small nation status for quite some time, singing and playing to four-dozen souls, where a crowd of several hundred more would not look out of place. Catch them again at The Bull and Gate, Kentish Town Road on October 17. |
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