Nobody loves a drummer. So...

Western Mail review. Nova Mob and Zuzu's Petals at The Legendary TJs, Newport.

SO what's with all this melody stuff in Gwent's hallowed house of noise?

Self-confessed 'dork magnets' Zuzu's Petals are a threesome of sassy'n'classy rockistes from the States.

They rip through the crusty-rock-chick stereotype offered up lazily by the likes of fellow Americanettes Hole, L7, Lunachicks and Babes in Toyland, to give us a mouthful of something far more palatable.

Their music is far removed from your typical US all-female three-piece band as you're likely to get, which I suppose affords them some sort of pioneer status.

Tra-la-la singalong 'White Trash Love' sounds magnifique bouncing off these punished walls, and the masterfully inept fretwork of singer-guitarist Laurie on stuff like the lovely 'God Cries' or 'Cinderella's Daydream' somehow works. It shouldn't, but it does.

On they bounce, with an unrelenting set that leaves me open-mouthed with admiration, and assured in the knowledge that Zuzu's Petals are the business.

Rock history buffs will already know that in the olden days there existed a quite brilliant American melodicore band called Husker Du.

'The Du' made a stack of great records then split up, singer-guitarist Bob Mould forming the equally cool Sugar and drummer Grant Hart doing his own thing with his next lot, Nova Mob.

Sadly, nobody loves a drummer. So in this incarnation, Grant has shaken off his former tub-thumping image to sing and - blimey - play guitar.

He does this very well - perhaps the sly sausage has been sneaking in a few lessons, eh readers?

Nova Mob's set rocks, rolls and sometimes goes very quiet.

Some of the songs are pretty long too, not the sort of stuff that that we're used to from America these days at all, but by golly it's a welcome tonic from the usual mayhem we get in this place.

And then again, once you're lulled into this transient state of aural bliss, Grant and the boys don't think twice about putting the boot in where it counts, just to check you're still awake.

Nice stuff.

Andy Barding (published 22.2.93)