Concert Review by Anders Rou Jensen
From Politiken, Feb94
It was something so rare as pure idealism that layed behind this concert
with the more than ten years old english cultband And Also The Trees.
Brought to Denmark by a initiative group of three persistent local fans,
who had the idea that something had to happen with both And Also The Trees
in Denmark and the rock in Albertslund.
"People have arrived all the way from France and Haderslev" (a small town
in southern Jutland near the german border) one of the promotors said
surprised and happy, when she was able to overlook that turnout of 200-300
people, who made the daring venture into a current succes.
On the stage stood And Also The Trees and delivered a concert, which with the impressive lighting and voluminous soundpressure seemed to be arranged for somewhat larger localities. The band has just been playing for 1200 people in Paris. And the french connection was understandable hearing the clearly francofile cabaret- and chanson-sound in the band's both very bombastic and very stylized rockmusic, which in a marvellous way arouse the black-edged and new-romantic english wave from the beginning of the 80'ies. In his extraordinary agonizing poses and passionate tones of juvenile Weltschmertz the crooner-vocalist Simon Huw Jones reminded both of a young Jim Kerr and a young Brian Ferry. At times an unctuous actor in a monotonous role of suffering, but on the same time a singer, who categorically went all the way by seeking deeper and deeper into himself and the dark atmospheres of the songs. These were in the best hands with the band's greatest force, the incredible and most unique guitarist Justin Jones, who in one jiffy after another sent showers of sparkling soundcascades out over the edge of the scene. Here one heard echoes of guitarists like Hank Marvin and Django Reinhardt and soundtracks from spagghettiwesterns. But all the time twisted by Justin Jones with a personal identification that both consolidated and opened up the fascinating interplay between melancholic sense perceptions and delicate atmospheres in every song. Scott Walker was being played during the intermission. A big voice for anyone to be up against. And Also The Trees grew on without any trouble and showed in the utmost way the flag in Albertslund for the true idealism and the beautiful fervour.
[A.R.J]