Although still in their relative infancy, having formed a little over a year ago, Legss are already creating a strong and distinctive presence.
Their ability to shapeshift, to channel the lysergic urgency of psych, potency of art rock and the dark underbelly of post-punk, all in one 3 mintue song is what gives them their edge – they contain multitudes. Their songs are not only musically satisfying – challenging the listener’s concept of genre and conventional guitar music – but lyrically too. Frontman, Edward Green uses the band’s sound as a ready made beat in which to soundtrack his disturbing yet hilarious tales of human inadequacy.
Their new EP, ‘Writhing Comedy’ acts as their mantra. The songs refuse to follow one uniform sound or idea, and when you think you’re just getting to know the band and their sound/what they’re about, the guitars give rise and morph into something much darker and challenging. Opener, ‘Mark/Martin’ gives a taste, teasing the listener for what is to come, the slow hum of the synth at the beginning builds and builds until it reaches a paranoid, heavy post-punk riff, only for it to suddenly stop and then start back up again, goading the listener.
‘Graduate scheme’, the album’s real stand out, acts as sharp social commentary. Set in a recognisable yet disturbing version of the London art scene, identity and success is shown to be nothing more than a commodity. Featuring all sorts of bizarre imagery that wouldn’t be out of place in a gothic short story, this twisted little number, combines chilling lyrics with moaning distortion to create a wonderfully menacing atmosphere.
By contrast, ‘La Charge’ with its tribal drums and angular guitar work demonstrates the boys’ gift for writing instantly gratifying post-punk melodies that wouldn’t be out of place at a Friday night at the Windmill.