On the strength of just one single and a string of UK shows, Cuckoolander was hand picked by The Libertines for a support slot at their opening night at London’s Alexandra Palace. The singer, formerly a part of Charlie XCX’s band, released her debut single ‘Dumb Dee Diddy Dumb’ a few months ago and has been turning heads ever since.
With the current shortage of female-fronted indie bands causing a real stir right now, there certainly is a vacancy for this kind of artist; Harder bringing some of those dark Wolf Alice tones to a more pop-friendly landscape. The set brought out a load of new tracks; some of which displaying a rawer, more punky vibe – at points grabbing a bit of the intensity of Savages’ Jehnny Beth before stepping back to the FM accessibility of ‘Dumb Dee Diddy Dumb’. She also played her track ‘What’s Out There,’ which has since been released as her second single; this just as much of a toe tapper as her debut – with dreamlike oo’s and ahh’s leading in to a chorus with a bite.
As a front-woman, Harder herself definitely looks the part; matching her vocal swagger with the kind of stage presence that – even with the company of a full backing band, you can instantly tell where your full attention should be set; this maybe inherited from her time with Charlie XCX, or possibly even born out of a jealousy of the central position she held.
Whilst by no means competing with the crowd size of Peace or The Libertines, Cuckoolander really did gather a sizeable audience considering the limited amount of exposure she has received. And those who decided to swap the bar for the arena were not disappointed; the gig’s tone flawlessly alternating between sleazy rock n roll and catchy pop hooks throughout, no single song echoing the tone of its predecessor. And if the variety on show for this set was anything to go by, then the release of her debut EP on October 12 will make a real splash.
