LIVE REVIEW: Closure In Moscow at The Esplanade Hotel (3/9/13)

March 13th, 2014

Brenton Harris

Five years is a long time to leave between albums, but with the finishing touches finally being applied to Pink Lemonade, the long-awaited follow-up to Closure in Moscow’s critically acclaimed 2009 debut full-length First Temple, the band graced the stage of their hometown of Melbourne, Australia on Monday night to play a free show that served as both a reward for their fans’ patience, and an opportunity to showcase the songs that will make up Pink Lemonade.

Arriving on-stage to a rapturous response, Closure In Moscow wasted little time capturing the audience’s attention as they launched head-first into spellbinding renditions of “Kissing Cousins” and “A Night At The Spleen,” two of the more widely known and loved tracks off of First Temple. Displaying the technical proficiency and manic energy that they’ve long been renowned for, the band, lead from the front by flamboyant front-man Chris de Cinque (who was dressed in pink jumpsuit) left no note unplayed as they got the show off to a flyer with a dazzling one-two punch that immediately erased any doubts the audience may have had about their ability to recapture the magic they had displayed circa the release of First Temple.

With the fans’ appetite for something familiar temporarily satiated, Closure in Moscow took the opportunity to bust out a couple of tracks off of Pink Lemonade. The first of these tracks, “Neoprene Byzantine,” takes the form of a bluesy, groove-laden number that features one of the band’s strongest choruses to date, while initially catching many folks off guard, the song is well received and it is entirely conceivable that given the proper studio polish, the track could earn the band some significant rock-radio airtime. The second track, “The Brahmatron Song,” takes the form of a full-scale, progressive rock wig-out, complete with the obscure chord shapes, vocal melodies and sudden changes of time signature the band is renowned for. While not as accessible as “Neoprene Byzantine” the track is incredibly well-received and serves as an instant reminder of how talented these lads are musically.

With the itch to play something new scratched, the band then launched headfirst into spirited renditions of “Vanguard” and “Reindeer Age,” two tracks that arguably showcase everything that there is to love about this band, and the audience consequently goes absolutely bonkers. With spirit fingers flying in reverence to the frantic fret-work of guitarists Mansur Zennelli and Michael Barett, and voices striving in vein to match Chris on the high notes, the vibe in the room becomes that of an all-in, sweat-soaked, love fest and as “Reindeer Age” comes to end it is clear that no matter what happens from here on, tonight is going to be triumphant.

As if sensing this, Chris takes a moment to announce that Pink Lemonade will officially be released on May 9, before introducing yet another pair of tracks from Pink Lemonade. The first of these is a re-worked version of the previously released “The Church Of The Technochrist,” a sprawling, spacious track that is home to a killer bass line from Duncan Millar. The re-worked version is, in my opinion at least, a superior version to that which we have already heard and provides the perfect segue into the avant-garde masterpiece that is title track “Pink Lemonade.” A track that is simply too weird to explain in words, “Pink Lemonade” is an indication that the tech-nerds out there need not worry that Closure in Moscow have lost any of their obscure tendencies.

After a slight technical delay which Closure in Moscow somehow manage to transform into an opportunity for an impromptu blues-rock jam (the ‘song’ is staggeringly good for something made up on the spot, and lyrical content aside could easily be featured on an album) the band launches into a blistering version of their 2009 hit “Sweet#Hart.” From the instantly-familiar and absolutely hummable intro-riff through to the infectious ‘double chorus’ and simply awesome bridge/breakdown, “Sweet#Heart” remains unmatched in the Closure in Moscow catalogue, and the band does the track justice by absolutely hammering it home, leaving many in the audience gasping in awe.

Many bands would take the safe route and call it a night at this point, however, Closure in Moscow aren’t that kind of band, so we are treated to an encore in the form of another new song, “Happy Days,” which proves to be absolutely awesome. A heavily blues inspired number with a stellar soul-pop chorus, “Happy Days” features the kind of danceable rhythm that should appeal to fans of all genres and has even the most rhythmically challenged of folk in the room busting a groove in response. As the track draws to a close with a few repetitions of its utterly addictive chorus, the band makes their exit from the stage, to rapturous applause, having reconfirmed their status as one of nations best live bands and provided an exciting glimpse into their brave new future.

Closure In Moscow will release Pink Lemonade on May 9. Pre-orders can be made at the band’s own webstore now.