Tinker Jack, Sister Ray, Alias, Harriet Langley, Mat Umney.

Lev 2 Esquires Bedford. 18th December 2009.

A most enjoyable and satisfying evening from first to last. Making his Esquires debut is MAT UMNEY, who probably makes one of the most bizarre starts imaginable. Prior to introducing himself, he receives a call on his mobile phone. Fair enough - but he answers it! Hey Mat! I think that is a bit disrespectful to the paying public. Tall and left-handed, Mat has a languid playing style and his easy going personality is a plus. His set consists of a portfolio of, mainly, his own songs, of which "Social Animal" is by Mat's own admission "one of the cheesier ones". "I Wish" is a ballad, while "Braveheart" has nothing to do with what you may think.

With a very quick turnover, the acoustic delights continue with HARRIET LANGLEY. She is less reliant on covers than she was on her previous visit. My favourite has to be the jaunty and uplifting "High Life". Less jolly was "Kill to Survive". The dark lyrics are amplified by Harriet's doom laden cry of "We're going to die!". She reveals that it was written by her Dad. The favourable "Golden Days" is to be currently found on her myspace page, as she says with excitement.

ALIAS are on top form tonight. Firstly, they have an impressive merchandise stall. Their new six track album is for sale, as is the Alias T-shirt. This is a band I always enjoy watching. The quartet always contain such perfect melodic nous. Sometimes they specialise in a little guitar rock as on "Big Sleep" which contrasts so excellently with the chest-beating anthem that is "Devils in the Dark". Kitchiner's stentorian croon works so well. Their new song "End Days" looks like it is going to join the rest of the rousing off kilter songs that lodge in the brain. Another new one is "Six Feet" and we are the first lucky people to hear it for public consumption. As deceptively effervescent as ever, this is a set driven with an unassuming indie-rock savvy. They exit to "Massive Conspiracy", a true sonic cathedral of a song. It encapsulates a soulful blend of space rock that culminates in an outro with a guitar / drums finale of controlled noise. It nails down their position as one of the most idiosyncratic local bands out there at the moment.

For the second successive Friday, SISTER RAY grace the Esquires stage. It's a set that enchants. Genna is an exceptional storyteller. The musical formula is at times dark and sinister, but yet joyous and uplifting at the same time. Sister Ray, Bedford's true avant-garde rockers in every sense of the word.

TINKER JACK headline. A year ago they launched their album and 2009 has been an exciting year for them. A slot at the ROTW in Hitchin plus a headline show at The Stables, MK. A band I like, but I suppose critics could say that they are merely dragging the MOR seventies into the 21st century. The strength is that they have a penchant for melancholic pop songs that are as inoffensive as they are memorable. Tinker Jack tonight give us that sense of escapism we enjoy on a Friday night - why, here's the weekend. Whether as an acoustic duo / trio or as a full on band, they never fail to lift spirits with their enchanting mix. The frisky singalong sound is mixed with some bittersweet country rock, such as "Arkansas", typically conjured by the lyrics "He's got a gun in his hand". "For you my Lover" is another new song complete with a beautiful flute opening. It seems to infuse a complete celtic flavour. The Christmas opening to "Systematic" is well thought out. This festive fayre increases on "Free Ride" which gains from a brass accompaniment and "Gone, gone, gone" which has a well known carol floating around the heart of the song. The Tinkers return for an encore, of which the swing version of "Stranger" is notable.