Friday 22/02/08 Yeti, The Foxes @ Monto Water Rats, London

Looking very dapper in white dinner jackets, The Foxes get us going with a set packed full of blues based indie stompers and more neat riffs than you could shake your thang to. But while you can’t fault the music, the lyrics leave a hell of a lot to be desired and bring the whole set down to a lower level of talent. Think McFly type lines set to The Hives’ music and you’re halfway there; “You’re a cow” is perhaps the best example other than a song bout drinking too much.

The Foxes do achieve a decent round of applause after each of their songs, but it’s nothing compared to the fervent cheers Yeti are greeted with as they walk on stage; a band whose music is both developed and honed in sound and lyrics - something that if The Foxes work on they could be more than just another decent band on the scene.

With John Hassall on vocals for their first number Yeti launch themselves into a heaving, hot and sweaty set that has every single person in the packed out room singing and dancing along to an upbeat indie-fied county and blues style. From ‘Merry Go Round’ to ‘Never Loose Your Sense Of Wonder’ and ‘Go Back To Your Lover’ (all three of which are undoubtedly the best songs of the night) each tune is marked by the band’s light-hearted banter and a riotous response from their fans who shout with delight as Yeti declare “It’s good to be back in London!”

The unusual mix of jangly punk style riffs with melodic vocals and American tinged sounds is so different and  gentle yet at the same time powerful, that it really makes Yeti stand apart from  other bands- something which the crowd and band alike adore as Yeti succumb to clamours for an encore with three more fine songs. Hopefully there’s great things to come from Yeti in 2008.