QR Music Review: Frankie Cosmos | Scala, London 31.5.18

The last date of their UK tour, Frankie Cosmos bring quippy, shimmery tracks from this year's Vessel to a sold out Scala show.

A project led by Greta Kline, Frankie Cosmos is now, technically, on its 52nd release (most of these collections catalogued on her bandcamp). Despite this rich backlog, the band take to the stage unassumingly, their composure easy to mistake for confidence; but Kline's charmingly honest commentary peppered in between tracks told otherwise. Palpably awe-struck at having sold out the London venue ("That's how you fit this many people in a room this size") she says, "I'm scared of you, but I love you." 

Released earlier this year, Vessel comprised 18 tracks pieced together to form a 33 minute record, with a handful of tracks coming in at around 30 seconds apiece. Live, the band emulate the fast-paced, slightly shoegazey sound of the record, somehow reconciling the start/stop rhythm with the seamlessness that characterises Kline's diary-esque approach to lyrics.

While standout moments came in the form of 'Apathy' and 'Being Alive' from Vessel, there was a heightened enthusiasm in the crowd's reaction to Kline's earlier releases, including 'Fool', 'Sinister', and 'Outside With the Cuties' from 2016's 'Next Thing'.

Though technically a solo project, band members Lauren Martin (keys), Luke Pyenson (drums), and Alex Bailey (bass) were enlisted for lead roles on select tracks. On 'Ballad of R & J', a song about "not loving someone", Alex and Lauren are "going to play the characters Ricky and Julie" says Kline, before launching into the narrative. What she means by this is that they'll be singing respective choruses; a rare happening on a Frankie Cosmos track explained by Kline as being due to the sadness of the story– so sad, in fact, that she refuses to sing it. The full band then share vocals on Vessel's strongest track, 'Being Alive'.

As an outfit the band oozed likability–from their slacker-rock energy, to Kline's millennial relatability and musing monologues. Returning for an encore (including a cover of ABBA's 'Mamma Mia'), she addresses the awkwardness of waiting to come back onstage, wondering whether the audience actually want an encore at all. "I'm crazy, I shouldn't be standing here," she concludes, proving exactly why she should be.

 Frankie Cosmos play Belfast this August, full tour dates here. 

By Addison Paterson