There are a few things you would expect to find in a chapel, but a band attempting their own second coming probably isn't one of them. For Sean Dickson, this resurrection means shrugging off his past as the singer of early 90s indie wannabes the Soup Dragons and finally living up to the words of their one hit, I'm Free. Now shorn of his bowl-cut, he's the voice and vision behind the unique and downright odd The High Fidelity.
Appearing as part of the John Peel sessions for Radio 1 in order to showcase their debut album, Demonstration, Dickson and the band are clearly enjoying themselves. And who can blame them? Demonstration, a patchwork quilt of an album, stitches Bollywood movies, Slade and Led Zeppelin together to make often beautiful, never boring pop songs. As Indian strings fill the air and Greeneye Monster begins, Dickson has every right to smile. He's made a hybrid Sgt Pepper in his bedroom, with a better sense of humour and a lot less self-consciousness, and brought it to screaming life.
Kazoos, a toy keyboard, stylophones and an Omnichord - a bizarre electric violin - make appearances in songs Jarvis Cocker would kill for and musos will find strangely familiar. Ithanku has a bassline that's pure Motown and would fit snugly on to George Harrison's All Things Must Pass, while The National Anthem, with its vocoder vocals, is Plastic Ono Band meets Primal Scream on a street in New Delhi. Yet The High Fidelity sound completely new and completely different from anything around at the moment, comparable only, in terms of imagination and creativity, to the Super Furry Animals. The band plays with passion and energy - there's excitement in the air.
Dickson's eclectic vision is realised by a wall of sound Phil Spector would be proud of, created by fellow band members Paul Dallaway on guitar and Adrian Barry on bass. But it's drummer Ross McFarlane who gives songs like the epic Odyssey of a Psychonaut their power and commerciality - this is 70s-style prog rock you can groove to.
His hand in the air, one finger pointing to the heavens, Dickson poses a question: "On radio and enjoying yourself at the same time. How good can this be?" The High Fidelity prove it can be very good indeed.
***** Unmissable **** Recommended *** Enjoyable ** Mediocre * Terrible
