ME, YOU AND THOMAS – SINGLE REVIEW

Me, You and Thomas - Eventually

Me, You and Thomas – Eventually (Howling Owl Records) 

OK, let’s just get this out of the way. The singer in this band is called Rihanna. We could spend this time talking about that or we could spend it talking about the music. So what’s it to be? Wrong, we’re going to talk about the music, ya numpty. Confusingly, Bristol band Me, You and Thomas are actually a duet featuring Rhianna Berarey on Guitar and Vocals alongside Joe Sherrin on drums who combine to make a beautifully chaotic but melodic mess. ‘Eventually’ is the duo’s second single on the Howling Owl label and it hits you full around the face with relentless punk beats and a circular riff that is hard to resist. Berarey channels the lo-fi Indie queens in her vocals to great effect, evoking the spirits of Tanya Donnelly, Sonya Aurora Madan , Justine Frischmann and Louise Wener while the music could slot in nicely alongside White Stripes, Veruca Salt or Lush.

Seriously, this infectious stuff and a must listen for anyone who has ever shuffled around the edge of an Indie Disco dance floor just waiting for the song to erupt. For a two piece with the combined age of about 12 (honestly, don’t the young just make you sick?) they do make an almighty racket but they always manage to rein in that power and keep it firmly controlled along with the rhythm and the melody. There is no let up in quality on ‘Stop Here’ as MYAT explore their more grungy side; increasing the ‘wall of sound’ and really pushing the limits of what you can do with a sparse set up. Final track ‘Boundary’ is a slower, more introspective number which acts as a window to a more expansive future for the band. Atmospheric guitar picking, haunting vocal harmonies and somewhere the distant tinkling of an ivory or two hints at what these two could produce with a big studio, some time and lots of expensive red wine. For now though, they are producing music their own way and on their own terms which alright by me. I’m not convinced by the name but then I thought mobile phones would be a flash in the pan so what do I know!?!?