Public Service Broadcasting - Live at Brixton album review: Sample sound effects

PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTINGLive at Brixton ***Test Card Recordings

Live at Brixton
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Artist: Public Service Broadcasting
Genre: Alternative
Label: Test Card Recordings

Their recorded output is one thing, but if you're wondering how on earth an instrumental band who base their sound on vocal and interview samples can make a live show work, wonder no more. This gig, recorded last November at London's Brixton Academy, takes in the mysterious duo's studio albums (The Race for Space and Inform-Educate-Entertain) and trusses them up for a mostly thrilling gig.

The show incorporates brass, post-punk, synthpop, proggy rock numbers, a JFK speech and, on Valentina, what sounds like a psychedelic Enya song courtesy of guests The Smoke Faeries, There's a lot going on, which means that attention might wander under such a cacophony of sounds and samples.

Allowing your mind to drift in the face of such controlled bedlam is probably the best approach. publicservicebroadcasting.net

Lauren Murphy

Lauren Murphy

Lauren Murphy is a freelance journalist and broadcaster. She writes about music and the arts for The Irish Times