Man/Woman/Chainsaw

When you think of a cannonball, you think of a spherical object hurtling towards you in a fast and forceful manner that’s almost impossible to stop. In the case of London six-piece Man/Woman/Chainsaw, who released their aptly titled debut album Cannonball in August, the band’s trajectory has been much the same. After creating an initial buzz through their singles and acclaimed live shows, the record proved they are about to become a force to be reckoned with. The Band are celebrating with a string of sold-out shows, and their penultimate tour date at the Hare & Hounds in Birmingham was packed to the brim with those eager to catch a glimpse of them before they outgrow rooms this size. It’s safe to place a strong bet on them growing even further, with the live chops to back it.

The band walked on to 50 Cent’s ‘In Da Club’, almost a reminder that the audience could’ve spent their Tuesday night at one of the city’s several clubs, but had instead invested their time and money into one of the best emerging live bands in the country. Nothing showed this off better than opener ‘Only Girl’, both witty in its lyricism and ornate and beautifully constructed in its instrumentation. The contribution of producers Seth Evans (Geordie Greep, black midi) and Margo Broom (Fat White Family, Joanie) is apparent throughout Cannonball and its 11 tracks, all of which made the setlist. While the band weren’t one for many words in between songs, their focus on letting those songs do the talking spoke louder than any “thank you”. 

While their debut record is tightly produced, with a clear amount of effort going into the mixing and mastering, there is something about hearing these tracks live that elevated the album experience entirely. Vocalist and bassist Vera Leppänen’s delivery of the chorus on the album’s penultimate track, ‘I’m Still Angry’, had a fiery power and an exuberant confidence. The band passed around vocal duties across three members, with guitarist Billy Ward’s highlight being his harmonies with his bandmates on ‘Goddamn, Lizard Man’. The band’s sonic diversity shone throughout the hour-long set, whether channeling  chaotic punk energy on ‘Scab’ or creating lush yet bombastic chamber pop on ‘Get Up And Dance’. This was largely thanks to the fresh vitality violinist Clio Harwood breathed into the songs, perhaps reflecting the fact that the more musicians there are, the merrier.

Harwood even has a song dedicated to her, ‘Ode To Clio’, off the band’s first EP Eazy Peazy. While Harwood was the star of the song, her motifs recurring through the refrains, drummer Billy Doyle’s emphatic energy was the key piece that let everything come together as seamlessly and effectively as it does. Even material likely to be more familiar to the casual listener, such as their cover of The Breeders’ classic hit ‘Cannonball’, gave an indication of what makes them so special. 

Ultimately, everything comes to a head at the final song of the night, ‘Nosedive’. Arguably the peak of their powers so far, the pulsing, synth-driven track showed not only how far they’ve come in the two years since their EP, but how far they can go. It acted as a celebration of both the night and the band’s career, with dancing, bubble machines and cowbells creating a party atmosphere that no club on a Tuesday night could ever come close to rivaling. When a band like Man/Woman/Chainsaw make such a significant impact in what is still the infancy of their career, it’s no surprise their colossal tour booked for the next spring has them playing venues over double the size. I, for one, will be front and centre for their return to Birmingham in May, as this is a band you don’t want to miss out on before they’re the hottest name on everyone’s lips.