June 11, 2001

The Pernice Brothers : London Camden Dingwalls

Those Pernice Brothers hit London in support of their brilliant forthcoming 'The World Won't End' LP...

Sadness is a state of mind. But although an air of melancholia pervades throughout tonight's proceedings, the majority of people here are smiling, lost in blissful reverie. Like their spiritual cousins Teenage Fanclub, The Pernice Brothers tackle universal themes of love, lust, and longing - and slap skyscraping tunes over the top of them. Easy, really - everyone can empathise while tapping a foot to the band's thumping beatpop.

Despite a few sound difficulties, the band win London over with consummate ease. Frontman Joe Pernice (who tonight bears a remarkable physical resemblance to a certain Steven Patrick Morrissey) may play the eternally unlucky-in-love card more times than is strictly healthy, but the likes of the metaphor-strewn 'Flaming Wreck' and the irresistible pop hooks of recent single '7:30' transcend mere miserabilism. You just haveto smile.

Tonight Joe reveals he is relatively happy. And the reason for this uncharacteristic bout of joy? His favourite American football team have just won something or other - he states that "it's a bit like England winning the World Cup", before adding, "We're ecstatic, as you can tell." The laughter this generates reinforces the view that some people are genetically predisposed to wallow in misery. They know why they're here. And when the band break into the acerbic and knowingly sarcastic 'Overcome By Happiness', they get exactly what they came for.

There's only one option left, then - face the music and well, maybe not dance, but nod your head, smile and drink your pint safe in the knowledge that you're not the only one.

Alan Woodhouse