In Black Midi, Geordie Greep was part of the generation of bands that revitalised British post-rock and became regular fixtures at the Windmill in London. Think of Black Country, New Road or even caroline – it’s not a bad scene to be part of. Black Midi enjoyed a level of popularity with critics and audiences that set them apart from other bands, thanks in part to the way they blended classic elements from other rock subgenres into a distinctly post-post-everything aesthetic. It wasn’t long before we heard news of their frontman, Geordie Greep.
Greep quickly released a solo album. ‘The New Sound’ immediately established him as someone who now wants to be a sort of Arto Lindsay for a new generation. Making the most of what set him apart in Black Midi – his voice – Geordie Greep used this to build a bridge between the band’s existing fans and us, fans who might be drawn to this world closer to art-rock, which embraces various sources of inspiration, be it tropicalism or jazz. With this rapid rise to prominence, he made it clear just how central he had been to Black Midi, suggesting that much of the band’s flair for melody and the unexpected had come directly from him. Did he convince us? Yes, and how. So much so that now, two years later, we’re eagerly waiting to see what comes next: whether it’s a continuation from someone who manages to blend instrumental chaos with a crooner’s attitude, captivating us not through the blend itself, but through the frenetic energy that springs from it, like something that dazzles and is infectious, or something even newer, like a rabbit pulled out of a hat. Why do we think this? Because Geordie Greep has already given us every reason to believe it’s possible. The only impossible thing is not to expect the unexpected from him.
AS