Wigan four-piece The Facades opened up for This Feeling’s Test Transmission night at The Social last week.
They roar out of the traps with their beguiling The Coral via The Cramps single ‘That Letter’. Satanic basslines and gypsy punk riffs allow frontwoman Alaanah to slide her vocals in and out of view deftly. There is a wryness to her delivery that enables her persona to grow an enigma throughout the song which, is elevated by Evan’s carefree solo.
This dynamic continues on ‘In These Woods’ and ‘These Days’. The former has the warped universe of The Coral’s ‘Skeleton Key’ and the ska-punk immediacy of Dead 60s’ ‘Ghostface Killah’. Whereas, ‘These Days’ combines Babyshambles licks with Stevie Knicks.
There are other points in the set where the guitars and the vocals are not quite in sync. However, they’re so tantalisingly close, no rock ‘n’ roll romantic cannot fall for this band’s charms.
*Image courtesy of RocklandsTV