Alt pop, soul, jazz, Motown, glockenspiel solos… you had me at hello.
This review has been a while coming. But it’s coming at a good time. Maud in Cahoots play Arthur’s Day this Thursday in Dublin at 7pm, and then play a secret gig at 8.30pm in some pub, somewhere. So if you stop reading now, which you shouldn’t, you’ll at least remember that.
If you have decided to read on, you will be really glad you did because you will be presented with a really exciting act. So exciting in fact, that Pop Culture Monster couldn’t contain his excitement enough to be able to write an article about them. Until now.
Maud in Cahoots is made up of Maud Reardon on vox and violin, her sister Zoe on cello Lewis Rhatigan on keys, Kev Sheridan on drums and Gavin Warren on tuba.. The set up of a violin, cello, tuba and piano sounds more like the makings of a sad orchestra, or a confused quartet then a band. But there’s something strangely intriguing about the set up, and it makes for a really interesting sound which is rarely, if ever, heard.
The band’s MySpace page only sports 3 tracks which give you a nice taster of what’s to come from these guys, but you’ll feel like closing your eyes and hoping there’ll be more when you open them. They’re making waves in New York too, where Maud and her sister Zoe now reside, having grown up in Dublin. Maud has a distinct, soulful voice and a very unique songwriting technique. It probably all stems from her classical roots, because every tune is crafted in a way that is evocative of a sonata, particularly Push Me Under and Breakdown.
The first track you’re met with is Breakdown, an anything but simple ditty about difficult love. It has a beautiful dramatic opening with staccato chords backing Maud’s vox. It turns into a stunning and beautiful amalgamation of running piano sequences and cello lines before reverting to the opening once more.
Push Me Under opens with a recurring line that is layered by another voice on each repetition. Its subject matter is a biting retort to someone who may once have said she was chasing an unattainable dream. “Pushing me under, watch me go further, waiting on my time to come.” The verses are broken with a haunting, almost baroque sounding riff.
Make Me Right is a jazzy, piano driven track with vocals evocative of Lykke Li’s Tonight. There’s a wonderful instrumental ending to the song which will really make a massive impression when live. Pop Culture Monster can see Maud in Cahoots really going far both here and abroad, as they have a very radio friendly, yet quirky sound. Catch them on Arthur’s Day supporting Snow Patrol at 7pm.
Follow Maud in Cahoots on Twitter @MaudinCahoots, and on Facebook.
