Music : Leeds Rocket

Life can be difficult when you're the most talked-about new guitar group since Gay Dad or Terris. While The Music's meteoric rise from rehearsal room to Radio 1 has had nothing to do with clever marketing strategies or advertising budgets, the fact that they've promised to "change everything" and are already being mentioned in the same breath as Oasis does place them in a rather precarious position. Especially when you consider that there aren't many people that enjoy the sick thrill of a backlash more than the record-buying public of Great Britain.


But if the relentless hype is affecting them, then it certainly isn't showing, especially when frontman Robert Harvey bursts into view, his spindly limbs flailing around his body as the group burst into the explosive psychedelic guitar rush of 'The Dance'.


There's definitely more than a little Richard Ashcroft about Harvey's stage persona but when he opens his mouth, a truly remarkable sound emerges. The closest comparison is Jane's Addiction's Perry Farrell, but Harvey's vocals have a rasping, full-bodied quality all their own. Even when, regrettably, he takes to a stool to sing the ballad 'Alone'.


But if it's Harvey's talents that really make The Music such a fantastic prospect for the future, it's still handy that he has a high-calibre band to back him up. The rhythm section of Phil Jordan and Stuart Coleman lock into tight grooves, while John Squire-lookalike guitarist Adam Nutter throws psychedelic shapes over the top - not unlike the early days of (The) Verve.


It's best not to get too carried away, though, because at the moment, The Music are still a long way from being the finished article. They've no more than a handful of songs and still need to develop a distinct identity of their own. But the raw power that's contained within these four northern souls is undeniable. Maybe their vow never to play in London is a good idea, because although theirs is a candle burning bright, it'll take a little time before it sets fire to the world.


Andy Capper