Credit: Elan De Lacy

Bunch of Grapes, Bristol
Friday 29 September

Ever since a group of students introduced irony into popular music, a dangerously thin line has separated the entertainingly cheeky from the unbearably calculated. With the whimsical ways of ironic rock peppering today’s musical landscape, it can be hard to distinguish the good from the ugly – Angus Young’s schoolboy attire to Justin Hawkins’s sprayed on bodysuits, if you will.

Bitchpups seem to have a clear idea of which side of the line they stand. Although genetically indebted to the rock studs of the 70s, this trio of siblings from Monmouth, South Wales haven’t let an appreciative nod to the greats develop into an inbred twitch, adding a disregard to orthodox song structure and an erudite knowledge of indie rock to their mongrel gene pool.

With Gibson SG held aloft, Matt Modget leads the march through a set that echoes the noise-rock of Dinosaur Jr and joyous guitar twiddling of Stephen Malkmus as much as the fail-safe three chords of Status Quo. How the West Was Lost combines thunderous drums, rusty-chain baseline and some glorious “woo-woos” to hip-shaking effect, whilst William Brown threads thrash metal and reggae patterns through the thick-stitched woolly jumper of classic rock.

But it’s the band’s exuberance and complete lack of smug knowing that wins the day, with Gaz Modget bashing his drums like Gorillaz’ Russell Hobbs set to fast-forward and Hannah Modget gleefully switching from base to keyboard duties. And although the current EP falls slightly short of capturing the band’s bark, with imminent studio dates this is a band to watch out for.

Beren Neale.