Monkey Swallows the Universe - live

It's gig central at the moment, two in two days, this time it is monkey swallows the universe at the boardwalk. I first heard of this band in a review in some local music press and they sounded interesting. I subsequently forgot about the artical until ben mentioned their album was very good. I saw it in Fopp and purchased it, getting home and listening to it. My first impressions were it was a bit twee, but I gave it a few more listens and I now think it is fantastic, definately my favourite album of the year so far. There are actually some quite clever layering of melodies, in a simple format giving a nice lilting folky sound in the vein of Belle and Sebastian. The sound also has a distinctive Sheffield feel about it, whether that is just from the lyrical input I don't know. I think perhaps not, it's fairly hard to describe. It turns out one of the members of the band used to work in the same lab as my housemate! Chatting with the lead singer/songwriter after the gig and she is sure that she knows me from somewhere. After a while she places me from the pop quiz I used to attend regularly at the hallamshire house, she used to serve behind the bar. Then I remembered her, amazing to think that now she is writing these really great songs. Oh and the band members all seem to like the Delgados too!