Music / Reviews
Review: Trust Fund & Personal Best, Exchange
What a lovely sight to see: a venue rammed full of people. It’s particularly lovely because they’re not here for some major label’s latest hipster offering. Hundreds of people are hear to see local indie band Trust Fund. It’s safe to say they’re not the only reason though, as Personal Best are greeted with an equally enthusiastic response when they take to the stage beforehand.
There’s something very infectious Personal Best‘s brand of fuzzy power pop. Front woman Katie belts out choruses that are both full of hooks and full of heart with effortlessly punky style. As the trio roll out a selection of tracks from their 2014 debut Arnos Vale in a spirited, carefree manner you can feel the mood elevate in the entire crowd to one of pure joy. Closing with the loud, optimistic anthem This Time Next Year, Personal Best have demonstrated that when it comes to uplifting pop punk, they are simply the best tonight.
The past twelve months has seen Trust Fund rise to great heights on their own wave of quirkiness. The brainchild of prolific songwriter Ellis Jones, Trust Fund released not one, but two, full length albums in 2015. No One’s Coming For Us and the more recent Seems Unfair were both met with rave reviews, establishing Trust Fund as one of Bristol’s most exciting bands at the moment.
is needed now More than ever
After a slightly shaky start, the four-piece settle in to their dreamy 90s sound and proceed to charm everyone in the room with their fey yet intricate melodies. The soft vocal interplay of Can You Believe gives way to raucous guitars, showcasing Ellis’s dynamic approach to songwriting. Massive guitar leads interject now and again, reminding us that beneath all their twee harmonies lies an indie rock band at heart.
One of the most distinctive elements of Trust Fund’s sound is Ellis’ falsetto vocals, which provide the emotive edge to his lyrical delivery without ever sounding shrill. It’s captivating stuff indeed, broken up only by a mid-set raffle and some audience karaoke, as they admittedly “don’t have enough songs to fill a headliner slot!”
Highlights come in the form of an intimate rendition of Big Asda with it’s starkly honest lyrics, and a rousing version of their single Cut Me Out to finish the set. If indie bands are ten a penny, Trust Fund are truly a worthwhile investment.
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
