Other Lives – The Lexington, London 18/08/2011

The first time I watched – and indeed heard of - Other Lives was during a show in Washington DC four years ago. As a band completely unknown to me, I was stunned by their slot supporting Brighton’s Bat For Lashes so much so that I bought their record afterwards, only to never hear of them again until very recently. Their name has increasingly crept up around the web, even getting a mention fromThom Yorke. Was this the very same band that made such an impression on me nearly half a decade ago? Would Other Lives still impress after all this time?

In short: yes. For starters the setting of The Lexington’s American saloon ambiance, dark lighting and central staging makes for an atmospheric evening. It’s a small stage but one that makes the Oklahoma quintet look as together and tightly-bound as they sound. It also serves the dual purpose of making tonight’s packed crowd seem even more expansive. As lead singer Jesse Tabish explains, this is the first time that the band have ever played London (a fact that clarifies why I haven’t seen them in four years) and why the large crowd here is mostly made up of Americans.

As a band that draws their influences from Sigur Rós and Godspeed You! Black Emperor yet infuses their music with fluid folkiness, they’ve evolved musically and derivatively over a five-year career. Their current focus is very much in the present and the entirety of tonight’s set consists of a live run through Tamer Animals, their upcoming second album (set for release on 29 August). While it appears to take much from Other Lives’ debut – the soaring strings and collaborating vocals remain – it also shows progression and a new direction entirely of their own making. It’s to their credit that, besides current single ‘For 12’, the audience are completely unfamiliar with this new material, yet still remain enthralled by the sonic grandeur.

As a live unit, Other Lives are a much more euphoric prospect. The quietude of their recordings is rendered fully fleshed as each individual demonstrates their multi-instrumental capacity. Jenny Hsu ably switches between cello, violin and a sparse uses of electronics as well as contributing harmonising vocals. Their music is fittingly joyful, accentuated by a much larger and louder set of percussion, atmospheric organs and the occasional use of brass.

After a few songs, Tabish takes to the mic to talk. He charmingly reveals an insight into the band’s day, from wandering around the city to sampling black pudding for the first time. The 45-minute set is punctuated with his self-deprecating humour, particularly when the band return for an encore, and Tabish laughs at the “embarrassing old tradition, basically asking for compliments.”

Yet the encore itself is truly worthy of praise. Tabish returns alone and delves into the set’s only song from the eponymous debut, ‘Black Tables’, a soft piano/vocal composition. As the set’s softest song, it still captures the essence of melody and contrast that make Other Lives’ songs so memorable. It’s in moments such as these that Tabish’s rich baritone vocals resonate most deeply with his audience, and expose them completely. The other four members return to the stage for their final song, a cover of Leonard Cohen’s ‘The Partisan’ that ends the band’s first ever UK appearance on a high note.