Mew > Kasabian

The best word we've heard to describe Danish band Mew is "unabashed." This trait is a good thing---we'd much rather hear a band play shoegazey post-prog rock earnestly than with their tongue firmly in cheek. Truly, if you (as a band) firmly believe in your over-the-top-ness, well, you just might convince us too. Embrace the inherent cheesiness and you've got a good chance in winning us over.

Mew knows this all too well, and they kicked off their opening set at Neumo's last night with "The Zookeeper's Boy," the best track off of their fourth album And the Glass Handed Kites. We have always felt that the song's My Bloody Valentine-meets-M83 intro swelling into doe-eyed singer's Jonas Bjerre plaintive falsetto query "Are you my lady? Are you? My lady? Are you, are you?" would be best accompanied by the image of a unicorn running in slow-motion. Apparently, Mew had different things in mind, as their performance of the song was paired with projected visuals of dolls and stuffed animals playing string instruments. Close, but no cigar.

It's tough to not be disappointed when a band plays your favorite song first. With that out of the way, what else is there to look forward to in their set? Mew still managed to deliver, with the soaring chorus of "Apocalypso" and Silas Graa's precise percussion on "Am I Wry? No." The band closed with a pseudo-encore, as members of the quintet left the stage and then returned during the nearly ten minutes of "Comforting Sounds."

And then there was Kasabian, who took the stage with a lotta bombast. Just take a look at lead singer Tom Meighan here. What a smug prick. This wanker was about half as sexy as he thought he was (nice potbully, guy), and his constant demands for hands in the air got old real fast. Maybe that schtick works in Leeds, but this is America, son. Recognize.

At best, Kasabian is a c-list, standard-issue British rock band. Yeah, they've got a couple decent tracks ("Reason is Treason" is solid, albeit run-of-the-mill Britrock fare, while "Club Foot" is made for a movie bank heist scene), and they've also got the considerable efforts of one awesome sweat-dripping, butt-chinned guitarist, but ultimately they'd be best opening for Oasis. Oh wait, they just came off of two years touring with the Brothers Gallagher! Surprise, surprise.

Photos care of Flickr /user peterl.