Their nonchalance and lack of even the slightest hint of intellectual pretence have not endeared them to many older critics. Their fans appear to consist mostly of individuals who, by rights, should be ID’d in any law-abiding boozer. They recently made an appearance on Made in Chelsea. The mere mention of their name sends some music aficionados into near apoplectic fits and rants about pastiche songs and lack of personality in today’s music.
Well…you can’t please everyone, I say…I love the sunny life-affirming vibes, the gorgeous sugary tunes and I’m proud to say I’m a massive Peace fan. Having witnessed their rise from the B-town (that’ll be Birmingham – not Brighton or Bognor Regis) scene hopefuls to the must-see band of The Great Escape 2012, last year’s much-loved debut release and a subsequent year of almost non-stop world touring, I’m anxious to see whether they have finally grown into a big festival headliner they were tipped to become when they first started making waves.
And, boy, do they not disappoint! Having only seen them in small venues in London, I’m impressed by the way they now effortlessly command a much larger stage (think ‘Koko’ in London currency) and create a real sense of a packed arena gig despite the fact that Warrington Parr Hall is far from sold out.
With the venue only being about 1/3 full, their young fans may not be numerous at this particular gig but they are a force of nature. They go wild the minute the band appear on stage. There’s plenty of boisterous sweaty adrenalin fuelled joy, moshpit action and bouncing going on all around us. The sounds of ‘Sugarstone’ and ‘Toxic’ send them into a crowdsurfing frenzy accompanied by an improvised communal circle dance.
The band go through the gems of the debut ‘In Love’ from the deep psychedelic dream of ‘California Daze’ to the youthful exhilaration of ‘Lovesick’ and snaky riffs of ‘Higher than the Sun’. Recently unveiled new track ‘Money’ is met with equally rapturous response.
I’m cautious to brand them saviours of guitar music (frankly, I dislike any grand proclamations) but there is definitely more to their sound than the naysayers are prepared to admit. Their influences, from afro pop to shoegaze, acid house and early Britpop, are easily detectable and are eclectic to the point of insanity. Yet they make them sound richer and more diverse rather than simply derivative. Musically, they’re a much stronger proposition than previous contenders like The Vaccines or Palma Violets.
The band’s frontman Harry Koisser may not be the most profound character but he has a style of his own (slightly demented swagger, speech peppered with words truncated to just one syllable), not to mention a very distinct voice. All this is part of sunny Peacelandworld, where love and party are top of the agenda. It’s a simple enough idea but its fresh innocence and immediacy add a headrush of happiness that brings a character and identity of its own.
Now, with the imminent release of their second album in sight, Peace look like a band on the cusp of an atomic blast into stardom. So ditch the doubters and the ageing buzzkillers and see them for yourself before they hit mega time.
You can catch Peace on their current UK tour. Click here for ticket information.
