On first impressions The Wild Beasts and The XX seem about as diametrically opposed as two bands ostensibly working in the same genre could be. The histrionic Billy MacKenzie impressions of the Beasts Hayden Thorpe contrasting markedly with The XX’s Oliver Sim and his downbeat breathy intonations. Scratch just a little deeper though and similarities appear. Both have a love of gothy flanged guitar effects and both bands, in their hock to tight musicianship, stand as a counterpoint to the last decade or so of indie garage thrash orthodoxy. Whilst at the same time commanding pretty much the same audience as the sub-Libertines/Strokes likes struggling by their sheer ubiquity to fill much smaller venues on the same road as the Roundhouse.

The XX have seen the bigger success of the two so The Wild Beasts are served up first this evening. Both the mulleted Thorpe & co-vocalist Tom Fleming alienate as many with their shrill registers and operatic timbre as they endear but it’s worth persevering. They’ve been touring the last album a while now and have really honed down the set since this critic caught them back in March. “We Still Got The Taste Dancin ‘ On Our Tongues”, “Hooting & Howling” and “All The Kings Men” all sound crisp and lively, the bookish lyrics delivered clearly all for more for us to appreciate. It’s not all vocal gymnastics and clever wordplay though. Fleming works a mean cowbell while “The Devils Crayon” and instantly recognisable “Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyant” from 2008’s “Limbo, Panto” album sound tighter than ever.

A tough act for The XX to follow and though it’s technically a double header we all know the pressure is on for the band who play last. Evidently not ones for whooping and hollering the low key introduction sees Oliver Sim whispering ‘Hello London’ over and over again. Throwing away “Crystalised” right at the start of the set is an admirably contrary gesture but perhaps a gamble too far. Excellent though it is they haven’t really enough other truly great songs to pull this sort of trick off. “VCR” and “Night Time” being perhaps the best of the rest. Sim’s sinewy bass playing and voice have you leaning in to hear more and Romy Madley Croft’s guitar style is a thing of restrained beauty. Jamie Smith makes for interesting viewing twitching around behind his electric drums yet conversely bringing out an actual drum for their cover of Kyla’s funky house number “Do You Mind?” a tune not overly warmly received by this indier-than-thou audience it has to be said. So, after a good start, the paucity of ideas and songs becomes apparent and The XX sadly suffer. It’ll be interesting to see where they go on their second album but after coming so far so quickly it’d be a fool to write them off completely and perhaps this night best put down to growing pains.

Dave Evans