South @ Mercury Lounge: Safety In Numbers

Why can't people get their act together and listen to South? Last night was the final show of their US tour (and who knows when they'll be back again) and Mercury Lounge was only 60/70% full for the Brits.


They've released 3 spectacular albums over the last few years and just get no love. For those who ask me to describe their sound I always try to compare them to other Britrock bands that have hit it big but South's sound is grander. Somehow it is just large without being loud.

Or, I can let Wikipedia do the work for me: Each member is a multi-instrumentalist and they share duties on guitars, bass, percussion, keyboards. Cadbury is responsible for the lead vocals. South was formed in London in 1998 and was originally conceived as an electronic act. The band was mentored by ex-Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown. South later worked under the tutelage of UNKLE's James Lavelle, who signed the band to his personal record label. Got it?


Not to mention they are charming as all hell.

The set opened with one of my favorites from their debut, 'Run On Time' and ended, just as the Bowery show did a few months back, with a glorious cover of New Order's classic 'Bizarre Love Triangle'.


My camera was not cooperating with me so I only have pictures of lead man, Joel Cadbury but with a face like that, do you mind?

Setlist:


MP3: 'You Are One'