Psyc’ Lover

Live review from Social Media Week Underground #2:

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Setlist:

1. 序

2. Vanilla

3.樂園

5.一息猶

6. When You Close Your Eyes

7. Just Say I Love You

The night’s final act was the rather unusually-named Psyc’Lover. Not only that, but they also looked very different from the ultra-casual ways that the other acts looked – but band members with their hair dyed red and one blonde whose hairdo looked like it was welded in place will do that. Their sound, however, was not really in line with their striking appearances, since they have a polished pop sound, surprisingly (and somewhat anachronistically) heavy on the New Romantics-like keyboards. Generally upbeat, and rare dissonant compositions aside, they sound like a contemporary take on disco. There were touches that were reminiscent of Chris Stein (Blondie), particularly in 樂園. Add to that a singer who can sing melodic pop quite solidly, and a definite composer’s ear for catchy arrangements, and you have a band that is good at entertaining people. These guys go slightly further and even add into the mix the ability to play some light glam-ish metal (一息猶 could almost have been a ballad), and the rather glam-esque tendency to focus on the band being slick, and they become even better at entertaining the average crowd. However, as is the nature of these things, their polish, by the same token, sacrifices the band’s edge. There is not one hair out of place (literally and figuratively speaking), and that is somewhat dissatisfying to someone like me. The mellifluousness of the composition also means that they are safe and generally somewhat tepid.

However, if one prefers the uber-pop ability to focus on agreeability of sound, or is a light listener of music, these guys are definitely worth checking out.. Their stage presence was comfortable and assured, and they were a tight unit, of which the rather faster Just Say I Love You was a good example. The singer, unlike many we have seen at The Underground, does actually sing within his range, and this is not inconsiderable, and the quality of his voice is above average. The drummer was impressive throughout, trying out different styles while still making the regular rock drums feel exciting. These guys have figured out what they want to play, and they play it well – they certainly did on the night.

However, if one prefers the uber-pop ability to focus on agreeability of sound, or is a light listener of music, these guys are definitely worth checking out.

— Shashwati Kala

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Performances by Psyc’ Lover: