Wednesday 06/09/06 Touriste @ The Purple Turtle, London

Ever since Coldplay burst their way onto the scene just over six years ago, steadily transforming into global superstars, whenever the latest sound-alike has come along they’ve been thrown into the same ‘spin-off’ league as the likes of Keane, Athlete and Embrace. This is bound to happen with Touriste. But when, in a rather crowded Purple Turtle in Camden, set opener ‘Your Move’ is filled with keys and a stomping rhythm very much reminiscent to that of ‘The Scientist’, it’s hard not to see why Touriste should head this league.

Nevertheless, the line between inspiration and plagiarism hasn’t been crossed by any means. One case in point is that lead singer/pianist/guitarist Sam Harris is sporting a pair of Adidas sweatpants, rather than denims that you might find on, well, every other front man of a band in the country as well his three band mates. Matched by his noble, fragile vocals on ‘It’s Not Safe’; “I’m alone in thinking I’m right, I’ll run and I’ll run until I drop”: there is a slight sense of poise he delivers that the famous paranoia of Chris Martin would envy.

Forthcoming single ‘Battle On’ sets off with an array of stormy guitars Doves would be proud of, assisted by trampling drums and a mid-section of sweet finger-picking-goodness, it’s clear that Touriste have made an engaging melody of their own. There are still some visible aspects of ‘borrowing’ though, such as the opening chords of ‘What Are We’, where we half expected Harris to sing out the line “Look at the stars, look how they shine…” 

Tonight these four Isle of Sheppy-ans have staged a pretty, charming sound of melodious guitars and keys capable of becoming more than just a Coldplay spin-off. These songs deserve a bigger place to be played in, and we’re certain they will be.