"I've got a friend with a melody that will kill, she'll eat you alive."
It's a fitting mantra for L.A. post punks Warpaint. The formidable four piece are a girl gang capable of the most challenging and fearsome of sounds.
However the girls share smiles and jokes throughout their complex and intense set in the majestic surroundings of Manchester’s Albert Hall.
And guitarist and singer Theresa Wayman seems to delight in treating fans on the front row by joining in with their dance moves.
"Their songs are scattered with emotion and anger, but beneath the bleak contemplation, Warpaint’s Californian sensibilities often shine through in hook-laden riffs and glittering vocals"
“This is a beautiful place of worship,“ coos guitarist and singer Emily Kokal, silhouetted in front of an enormous poster of the band.
Of course she’s right - the grand and allegedly haunted venue is the perfect place for Warpaint to show off their eerie moody music.
Warpaint have garnered a fiercely loyal fan base since they first broke the mould with their debut album The Fool back in 2010.
Their soured sunny delight sound is a great combination of Californian pop and melancholy, psychedelic shoegaze.
There are certainly echoes of the XX and Pixies in their music. But in truth Warpaint have a shifting identity that is difficult to pinpoint or draw comparisons from.
Technically, the band are excellent with Stella Mozgawa's flawless drumming and Jenny Lee Lindberg's solid rhythmic bass ensuring that the regular proggy moments of experimentation never feel self-indulgent. Instead, Warpaint’s free-flowing onstage presence feels immersive and involving.
Their songs are scattered with emotion and anger, but beneath the bleak contemplation, Warpaint’s Californian sensibilities often shine through in hook-laden riffs and glittering vocals.
The meandering, soothing riff of Keep It Healthy is a warm and soporific highlight of the set.
While the catchy Joy Division style riff of Warpaint, the soft and brooding Love Is To Die and the ferocious chant and tickling beat of Disco//Very are the most impressive moments of a richly layered set. It all combines to create an unusual, thrilling evening of music'. http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/review-warpaint--albert-hall-8898408
