Sunday 23/02/03 The Hiss, The Sights @ Academy 3, Liverpool

The love affair with the US's rock 'n' roll revolution continues apace with the proliferation of ever more great bands to emerge from Detroit, New York and beyond. In this case the beyond is Atalanta, Georgia and the great band is the Hiss, who are destined for great things thanks to being recently signed to Loog Records, a new Polydor imprint set up for ex-NME deputy editor James Oldham. No doubt this will hold great sway with the music rag and provide them with the coverage they deserve.

While some of their songs could be criticised as being a bit "Oasis" they do have plenty of aces up their sleeves. Firstly current single and tonight's opener 'Triumph' is indeed a triumph, its signature tremolo riff wobbles in like the Smiths' 'How Soon Is Now' and eases the audience into the set, especially those who have already managed to get hold of a copy for themselves.

Also their bass player Mahjuala Bah-kamara is a cool addition to the band, she struts and jiggles round the stage, gyrating to her bass lines and leaning her afro into vocalist Adrian Barrera's face as she joins him on the mic to add backing vocals. Although not offering the skinny tie and drain pipes variation of rock 'n' roll we've come to expect from our transatlantic cousins, the Hiss offer a listenable and enjoyable platter of tasty tunes. If you like the Pattern, BRMC and our Mancunian brothers Gallagher then you're gonna love this band.

Detroit's the Sights are a multitude of influences, although they're perhaps concentrated on a particular stretch of the late sixties and early seventies. Doorsy psychedelia swirls amongst jangly glammy rock with blonde "Dave Hill" coiffeured frontman Eddie Baranek howling along to the tunes.

Their recent album 'Got What We Want' was probably a little too highly polished considering their live offering is a much more dirty rock 'n' roll affair. Organ grinder Nate Cavalieri who chain-smokes during the set adds more weight to the show with his Hammond riffs leading the aural charge, making the whole sound much more Jim Morrison than the Gaz Coombes of the album.

Both the Hiss and the Sights prove that there are still plenty of unmined seems of musical wealth to be heaped upon these UK shores. The bands will both be returning in the next few months to treat yet more of the UK's paying public. Before then the Sights can be caught doing a live performance and a signing of their second album 'Got What We Want' (on Sweet Nothing Records) at the Virgin Megastore Oxford Street on Friday 28th February at 6pm.

Photos by Sakura Henderson :: sakura@gigwise.com