The Orielles: Hebden Bridge Trades Club – live review

The Orielles
Hebden Bridge Trades Club
Wednesday 21 December 2022

The Orielles refuse to rest on their artistic laurels showcasing epic and moody songs from their coming of age album Tableau.

Anyone like me who witnessed the debut of three awkward teenagers in this venue could never have imagined The Orielles would go onto produce the melancholic, sophisticated epics they delivered just a few years on.

Many promising teen bands just seem to drift away but this trio’s commitment to perfecting their playing and art has seen them go from lo indie pop heroes to the more adult themes and mood of their new album Tableau, which made up the bulk of this enthralling set.

The Orielles, from just up the road in Halifax, always had an ear for a decent melody, but as bassist/vocalist Esme Hand-Halford launched into Drawn and Defined from the new record you were immediately transported to new and more interesting territory. As livewire Henry Carlyle-Wade provided moody guitar and her sister Sidonie – or Sid to the music world – pounded the drums, Esme took us off on a long, almost jazzy at times odyssey into a slightly disturbing, off kilter place with some added keyboards thrown in to add to the foreboding.

Some in the audience would have been disappointed they weren’t just doing the cheery indie pop that made their name, but most appreciated the fact they were determined to use a noticeable step up in their playing to create a new direction. That’s what great artists do and sod the consequences.

It’s not all doom and gloom as Henry’s work on a tight Old Stuff, New Glass had a funky edge with a House feel for those who remember the 1990s, and Emse’s breathy vocals and added snyth loops thrown in for fun.  Space Samba had a New York underground funk grove powered by Sid’s powerful drumming and a big Henry solo.

The Room with Henry on added keys had echoes of the Breeders with Esme settling into the Kim Deal role with some beautiful vocals and bass lines. Lead single from the album, Beam/s was dark, chaotic and moody, but packed with ideas and imagination – albeit of a dark variety. Darkened Corners featured a rare foray for Henry on vocals, but whilst lacking Esme’s range their semi-duet was like a twisted version of Lee and Nancy.

They ended with a nostalgic romp through oldies Sunflower Seeds and Bobbie’s Second World, and whilst hearing them was great fun they actually sounded they were created by a different band, which in many ways they were.

This was an engrossing set that always kept you guessing, but more it was the sound of a band still early their career refusing to just do the same old stuff. Sid, Henry and Esme should be applauded for that, and maybe some of their contemporaries could do the same because it works.

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Words by Paul Clarke, you can see his author profile here

Source: louderthanwar.com