By Ed Osborne.

I asked Lord Emu about their new album at their last gig on Sunday 29^th January. They told me it wasn’t finished, and they didn’t know when it would be ready to be released, but two days later, on the 31^st, it was out on Bandcamp.

Either their producer pulled an all-nighter, or the band were being sneaky and deliberately playing down the hype. Whichever it was, I don’t mind – I’m just happy to be able to listen. The Rocking Horse Sessions is a collection of demos recorded live at the (sadly soon to be demolished) Rocking Horse rehearsal rooms, and – so they tell me – a precursor to a full studio album. You might have heard a few of these 8 songs if you attended our collaborative event with DH1 Records, which the 4-piece headlined. In my write-up of that night I praised the chemistry and showmanship of their live set, and this album reiterates why they are some of the most entertaining performers in Durham.  

In recording all 8 songs live and releasing them without any fanfare or social media marketing, Lord Emu have played to their strengths as a popular live band amongst Durham’s music scene, whilst managing to avoid layering the songs with too many studio effects that might have spoiled their magic. Despite the straightforward instrumentation (guitar, bass, drums, and the occasional piano) and the recording equipment used, The Rocking Horse Sessions sounds professional – every instrument has its place within the song, the mixing is beautifully clear, without the crowding of endless overdubbed guitars, and the backing vocals add another layer without ever becoming cliché. And that is without even talking about the songs themselves.

Every riff, every chord, every hit of the drums, is relentlessly in-time, something incredibly hard to do when recording entirely live. There’s no doubt that a good deal of the songs’ cohesiveness is down to Luke Pocock’s drumming; I can’t imagine the hours of rehearsal it took to get everything sounding so tight. Despite this, each title is followed by ‘(live demo)’, as if Lord Emu are modestly understating what they’ve accomplished on this album; songs like ‘More than a Meditation’ don’t sound like a live demo, they sound like something you’d hear on rock radio or a festival stage. The song is my personal favourite from the album, with an earworm guitar riff that hasn’t left my head for weeks. After the halfway mark, the band switch from a catchy alternative rock song to a fast-paced heavier instrumental, which revolves around George Brown’s virtuoso guitar riffs. I think it would’ve been more interesting to see them build off the existing motif, but when the song still sounds this good I can’t really complain.

George Brown’s valuable presence is felt on the rest of the album too; as well as intricate solos, his keyboard playing adds another dimension to the band which lets them explore even more genres. The recordings have also shone a spotlight on vocalist/guitarist Dillon Blevins’ unique voice, which is sometimes hard to hear amidst the distorted guitars and furious drumming of their live sets. Their vocals on glam-inspired tracks like ‘The Glass People’ and ‘Afraid To Go Home’ have traces of David Bowie’s early melodramatic inflection, and can shift to a tuneful and powerful falsetto at any moment. Elsewhere, on the album’s heavier punk songs, his voice has a raspy, full-bodied quality which matches the rest of the band’s energy – ‘The Scoundrel Express’ and ‘In Your Corner’ sound just as frenetic here as they do live.

Despite the overall strength of the album, Lord Emu saved the best till last. ‘Uninspired’ is a 7-minute amalgamation of genres, beginning as a riff-heavy metal song before switching to a more contemplative bridge that builds into another excellent guitar solo – a transition that reminds me of ‘Free Bird’. As the solo gets more chaotic the drums shift to match it, and eventually all instruments give way to a melancholy piano and a power-ballad final chorus where Dillon gives one of his best vocal performances, lamenting the difficulties that come with creativity. I wish I was as ‘uninspired’ as this.

Lord Emu’s debut album veers unpredictably (in a good way!) between any and every subgenre of rock like the most erratic rocking horse you’ll ever sit on, and gives no indications of where any song could go next. It’s incredibly fun to listen to, and I’m sure it was just as fun for Lord Emu to make. Also, it’s available on Bandcamp for as little as £2, all of which will help the band turn these songs into a studio album, so why not buy it? Definitely a better way to spend your money, rather than wasting it in Jimmys.

Instagram: @lordemuband

Bandcamp: The Rocking Horse Sessions (Live) | Lord Emu (bandcamp.com)

By Jack Fry.

Last week I was lucky enough to attend DULOG’s superb musical theatre production of the Gilded Age musical, ‘Hello Dolly!’. When I asked the producers why they had opted for ‘Hello Dolly!’, they explained that DULOG favoured the musicals of this period in order to appeal to the older, more genteel theatre-going population of Durham. While one may think this could make for a stale rehashing of familiar and old-fashioned productions, the producers outlined their desire to modernise some of its more dated aspects.

The story follows a matchmaker, Dolly, a character most famously embodied by Barbara Streisand in the 1969 film version, as she tries to divert and win the affections of half-millionaire, Horace Vandergelder. She is a woman of all trades, including but not limited to: varicose vein healing, dance teaching, ear piercing but most importantly to the narrative arc, matchmaking. As she proclaims shortly after the curtain is raised, “I meddle” and boy is she good at it! Through smart direction and choreography Dolly orchestrates the stage, sending the chorus one way and the other, making clear to us from the outset who is in control. A larger than life character; she is vivacious, charming, impertinent and independent. Florence Lunnon inhabits her role with confidence as her voice soars between a low New York growl and a beautiful soprano. She also has a knack for physical comedy that repeatedly fills the Gala Theatre with audible laughter.

A standout number, ‘It Takes a Woman’, is initially sung by the character, Horace Vandergelder; the lyrics demonstrate some of the sexist ideals of the time that may have made the audience cringe and that those involved sought to refresh. However, when the song is reprised by Dolly it becomes an empowering ballad of agency. For me, the show seemed a smart commentary on gender roles. The female characters are searching for fulfilling lives and financial independence; they use the constraints and expectations of a patriarchal society and the naive men in their life to their advantage. This theme draws from an era that was pivotal in the development of the women’s movement. Suffrage began to gain momentum in the 1890s and women became more liberated; the Victorian invention of the bicycle, an unlikely ally, also gave women higher hemlines and a new found independence.

‘Put On Your Sunday Clothes’ was also a noteworthy number, anchored by the riotous comedic duo of Samuel Kingsley Jones and Stephen McLoughin as Cornelius Hack and Barnaby Tucker. They were particularly engaging throughout – Kingsley Jones’ performance was impressive and his singing voice was a highlight. The song ascended to a pinnacle of the show when the whole company joined, singing in harmony as their technicolour parasols spun in steam train formation towards Manhattan.

This thoughtful choreography continued with a couple of dance interludes. The dancers appeared most notably as waiters at the Harmonia Gardens Restaurant; their high kicks recalled French cabaret dancers of the era and as their tailcoats spun behind them, their silver trays cast gleaming light across the auditorium.

I was especially impressed by the production value that benefited from a sizable budget, further adding to the polished nature of the musical. The various era appropriate costumes enhanced the visuals as well as the numerous candy striped, art nouveau sets that were presented to us; each one like a scene from a ‘New Yorker’ cover. The only aspect that gave away its student led operation was the youthfulness of the actors playing older characters.

Overall, considered and interesting directing choices by Alexandra Hart and Jennifer Lafferty made for a dynamic and accomplished production with old school charm and jovial melodies, truly a joy to watch. The experience as a whole altered my perception of student theatre – it’s no wonder DULOG has been a permanent fixture in Durham for the past 50 years!