LIVE :::: Metric [at] Electric Ballroom, Camden 19/05/09

Metric are a changed band. Tonight’s set predominantly draws from their latest effort ‘Fantasies’ which on the whole, is an album far less raw, gritty, and raunchy than previous records. This new sound, of which the imagery is quite intriguing [see interview], accentuates certain elements of the band to great effect. Emily Haines has a beautifully delicate voice, and seems perfectly tuned to this refined lush pop.

It does come as a compromise however; polishing over the rawness does seem to dilute the bands energy slightly, although Emily in particular was still animated between guitars, synths and tambourines. Metric showed no signs of being drained by the preceding tour dates in this, the climax. As beautiful as Haines’ vocals are now, they are also fantastic when strained, and we get a glimpse of that at the breakdown in ‘Handshakes’ to see that. So it’s good to see old songs aren’t totally excluded from the set, although fans would be forgiven for wishing for multiple songs from 2003s ‘Old World Underground’. I don’t think though that this is a band trying to run away from their past, but seasoned fans my need a transition period to assess the new direction of this band fully.

Emily Declaring to the crowd, that she intends to try and dedicate the rest of her life to becoming a hybrid of all time’s greatest bands, almost seems too grand just yet. It does fit as a nice way to introduce ‘Gimme Sympathy’ however which poses the question ‘who would you rather be; The Beatles or The Rolling Stones?’ later, we are told about how they have ‘enough love to fill a stadium’ just before ‘Fantasies’ final track is played. Again, I don’t think this should be taken as arrogance, but it still feels a bit much to be talking about stadiums right now.

Metric have quite a cult following, so it should be no surprise really that an encore ensues. It should also be no surprise that this comprises in part of the emphatic ‘Monster Hospital’, contrasted brilliantly with a stripped down version of ‘Live it Out’ to close.