Review: Penelope Isles, Exchange

There are a number of parallels between Bristol and Brighton that run deeper than the first three letters of their names. The 158 miles that separate them are rendered insignificantly small by a shared affinity for vintage boutiques, counterculture, London expatriates and overpriced pints. You can add to that burgeoning list a shared adoration of the Brighton based, brother and sister duo Penelope Isles.

Their performance at Exchange on Wednesday night marks the start of a hotly anticipated tour to promote their new album, Which Way To Happy, following significant airtime across BBC 6 Music, BBC Introducing and just about every Hot New Bands playlist on Spotify. Having been introduced to the band through the achingly beautiful new single Iced Gems – a song tender enough to have the hardest man in Bristol wistfully reminiscing on a failed teenage romance – I had high hopes for the rest of their back-catalogue. If the expectation set was for swooning, delicate indie love songs – this assumption was quickly debunked by the first thundering drum stroke from supporting session musician, Joe Taylor.

From the Weezer-esque riffs and breakdowns of Leipzig to the synth-laden melodies of Rocking At The Bottom – throughout the show the band’s dexterity was apparent and impressive. The haunting vocals from both Jack and Lily Wolter, at times indistinguishable from one another, elevates their songs from standard indie fare to dreamlike euphoria. There is also a vitality to their live performances that isn’t explicit in the studio recordings, best described through the image of lead guitarist and joint vocalist Joe hunched over his guitar with his long blonde hair, stamping the foot pedal as he hammers the leading riff to each song.

Support on the night started with the hypnotically melancholic Tamu Massif. As the first act on there was a profound intimacy amongst the small audience whilst people filtered into the venue, an intimacy matched by the candour of the performance. Occasional apologies between songs for the sombre tone fell on deaf ears as those in the audience were captivated by the lead singer’s soft-spoken harmonies. During one chat in-between songs he wryly attributed the source of the angst in his songs to living in Weston Super Mare, which was met with an understanding chuckle.

The final support came from Holidays Ghosts, whose raucous energy was a fantastically dizzying departure from the act they followed. The quartet’s eclectic, psychedelic style is reminiscent of a spaghetti western directed by the late-60’s Beatles – though perhaps better surmised by the guitarist Morgan’s mantra of rock, roll, jive and bowl that he recounted at the bar during the interval. With lead vocals shared by drummer, Katja Rackin and guitarist, Sam Stacpoole depending on the track, and song writing duties distributed amongst the band members – the impression given is one of a tight-knit, well-oiled unit.

Main photo: Penelope Isles / Facebook

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