Saturday 03/03/07 Bat For Lashes @ Oran Mor, Glasgow

Bat For Lashes’ debut album last year was a striking contrast to the majority of music offered up. While there was a plethora of guitar based bands singing about “real” issues and how crap life was, here was an album that steeped itself in mysticism, dreams and magic. All over a haunting backdrop that took the best bits of Kate Bush and Bjork and still managed to sound fresh. Yet repeating that live was always going to be a tricky proposition, with the album featuring numerous contributors helping Bat For Lashes (aka Natasha Khan) out. Though Khan has three musicians backing her up, could they successfully translate the music? The answer comes quickly, in the form of a sinister ‘Trophy’, a black ballad that opens with an threatening rumble and turns into a fully fledged stompathon.

All four members switch between instruments with ease, meaning there’s constant movement on stage and also goes some way to recreating the twists and turns that populate ‘Fur And Gold’. With viola, keyboards, synths and guitar to the fore there’s an impressive sound being created, though one that is still just a background for Khan’s soaring, Gothic vocals. Stripping things to a basic level, there’s only piano and vocals on the tragic ‘Sad Eyes’, as close to a straightforward song as the band get. It’s a beautiful creature, helped by the venue lights being dimmed to create a hushed mood.

Despite the gloomy exterior and lyrics in the music, Bat For Lashes is capable of producing dark, rousing pop too. ‘I Saw A Light’ is a screeching wall of noise that builds and builds until you think your head might explode. A re-working of album track ‘Sarah’ sees it remain poppy but with a twisted, bloodthirsty edge that really accentuates the poisonous lyrics about a girl with no heart and “her shit eating grin“. Cheery stuff. The hand clap fuelled ‘Prescilla’ is another doomy number that balances the gloom with a pop beat.

Admittedly, not all the tracks manage to reach the standard of the album, the epic ‘Bat’s Mouth’ is simply dry rather than explosive and ‘Tahiti’ suffers a similar fate, swiftly forgotten and never clicking into place. The gig is also hindered by an annoying muppet down the front who insists on shouting questions to Khan whenever she’s trying to speak. Gigwise has no problem with people yelling for songs or generally cheering as a gig goes on but asking things like “Have you had some tea?” non-stop grates on the nerves somewhat.

Luckily, these are minor complaints. Bat For Lashes may never trouble the charts but she’s an enchanting artist nonetheless. Leave the tedious guitar driven realists behind and step into Bat For Lashes world of wizards and storms. You’ll enjoy the stay.