The Computers at Rough Trade East

The first few listens to The Computers’ brand new album Love Triangles, Hate Squares will probably trigger a few double takes from fans of their early material. Their riotous debut situated them squarely in the hardcore punk scene, but their latest offering sees them veering away from this and towards a more – whisper it – pop-based sound, with a most noticeable change in vocal style.

But this isn’t to say that their second album suffers from this new approach, far from it. The Computers are still a tremendously visceral live act and, as displayed in this evening’s mini-set, their aggressive playing style emphatically reaffirms this fact.

The bravado begins with the superbly titled Bring Me The Head of a Hipster. A hugely fun track with its stomping rhythms and jerky guitars, it only takes half the song before frontman Alex Kershaw is off stage and performing among the crowd. The effortlessly catchy Love Triangles, Hate Squares – their latest single and the album’s title track – soon follows, brimming with great bass lines and a killer chorus.

Selina Chinese is the most immediate cut off the new album and undoubtedly one of the best. Its arrival is marked by a thunderous extended drum roll intro, which continues throughout the song, accompanied by a rollicking piano solo.

The tunes keep coming and so does the boisterous behaviour. Kershaw begins dancing with the fans in the front row and then anyone else he can get his hands on. Before long, he’s roaming all over the store, with microphone and axe in tow.

As the remaining band members rock through another terrific rock ’n’ soul groove, Kershaw’s popping up everywhere. It’s gloriously chaotic, fans are tangled up in his guitar cables and this reviewer even takes a guitar to the face!

It’s madness, but never anything less than terrific fun, confirming that there’s far more to this British quintet than just natty burgundy suits and slickly coiffed hairdos.

Tom Yates
Photo: Tina Herbots

For further information and future events visit The Computers’ Facebook page here.

Watch the video for Love Triangles, Hate Squares here: