Thursday 29/01/09 Sky Larkin, Pulled Apart By Horses @ ICA, London

They may hail from the same city, but the performances from the two Leeds ensembles playing the ICA tonight prove they're miles apart in terms of their music and sets. First up is all male four-piece Pulled Apart By Horses who use their instruments as weapons and enthral with their forays of discordant sounds. At times, these sounds are are thrust right in to the crowd's faces when singer Tom Hudson jumps off stage to play his guitar among the surprised, yet encouraging crowd.

In their milder moments PABH appear like the wild noises that would soundtrack a brawl between BRMC and Death From Above. But it’s the chaos of I Punched A Lion In The Face and Meat Balloon that portrays their real charm. As Tom and guitarist James Brown crash into each other while they bound about the stage, animating their jagged songs, it seems there is no taming this bunch.

Though the fierce atmosphere has diluted by the time the second Leeds outfit and headline act, Sky Larkin, arrive on stage, the interest has not waned. There’s two night’s left on this tour for the trio, but any fatigue is well concealed under the smiles they wear for the entire set.

If PABH are the triumphant aggressors tonight, then Sky Larkin are the caressers made memorable by dainty melodies which build into an urgent, sharp, punk sound, courtesy of Katie Harkin’s feisty vocals- subtle yet they still manage to attack the crowd with equal drive as their neighbours.

With a female singer it’s all to easy to draw comparisons, especially with the twee-indie of Love Is All or the spikier Blood Red Shoes, or even back further to riot grrl acts and aptly it is all in there somewhere. But as they plough through One of Two, Matador, Somersault and others from forthcoming debut, The Golden Spike, a clear-cut Sky Larkin motif surfaces albeit with a maturity that is beyond this seemingly young threesome, as though they’re in a coming-of-age to, say, Los Campesinos’ wide-eyed enthusiasm.

Drummer Nestor Matthews’ arms are flailing during the shimmering Octopus 08, a reflection on their last year, demonstrating that Sky Larkin, with album in hand, can now look up, accelerate and deservedly topple that long list of hopefuls for 2009.

CLICK HERE to see photos of Sky Larkin and Pulled Apart By Horses in action on their UK tour.