Slow Down Clown need a pick up

Slow Down Clown's vocalist Vitek Goyel (Photo: Tejeshwar Balachander)

Slow Down Clown, April 10, Blue Frog Mumbai: We first watched the upcoming Mumbai band Slow Down Clown perform at the Live From The Console series of gigs, held at Mehboob Studios in February. We realized then that the band made music that had found its fans amongst the music fraternity. When we went back to listen to them this week at Blue Frog, the band began promisingly ”“ they weren’t as loud and definitely sounded like a more cohesive unit. The band engaged the audience by introducing their songs (we wish all Indian indie bands did) and admitted good naturedly that they were Counting Crows sound-alikes (we remember someone in the audience at Live From the Console shouting out: “Hey they’re like the Indian Counting Crows men”).

At Frog, the band  did a cover of “Rain King”, which stood out from the same-sounding originals in a stark contrast. This doesn’t augur too well for a band trying to impress audiences that root for originals.

We weren’t sure when Slow Down Clown’s brand new track “Bitter Heart” had ended and their older one “Bandra Girls” had begun. The monotony had begun to wear us down despite drummer Arfaaz Kagalwala attempting to infuse some energy into the set. Towards the end of the set, the band managed to grasp the audience’s attention momentarily for all the wrong reasons when they broke into another cover ”“ Foo Fighters’ “Hero”.

We’re pretty sure that the band is capable of an entirely original sound that might have shades of a certain Berkeleyband. Their latest single “Tonight” is proof of that. It’s harder and definitely more spirited that most of the music on their first EP Say Nothing that was released in 2010. The time to tweak the sound is now ”“ before a gaggle of fans elevate them to superstar or veteran status when they’d be incapable of taking comparisons or criticism in their stride.

 Key Tracks: “Heartstrings”