Masters in making pretty music with not-so-pretty undertones, Insecure Men play out a short but sweet set to a packed-out YES pink room on their long-awaited return to the spotlight.
Led by Saul Adamczewski, the gap-toothed, sallow-eyed mecurial vampire formerly of Fat White Family notoriety, Insecure Men have carved out a pop-driven catalogue of unnervingly melodic tracks since their first release in 2017. Though still overtly unconventional – could he be any other way? – Adamczewski has so far avoided his rock-star casualty destiny to deliver a second album with Insecure Men, A Man For All Seasons: a brilliant record boasting a hazy blend of genres (glam, 60s psychedelia, retro exotica, avant-garde pop) and introspective songs that reflect on addiction and personal turmoil.
Regardless of the seven-year gap between their albums, it’s clear that Insecure Men – and Adamczewski himself – still command a loyal fanbase, despite persistent substance abuse issues, countless feuds, various delays in releasing material, and a general air of unpredictability. Arriving centre stage alone, sunglasses-clad in a trademark tweed suit and armed only with a guitar, he dives straight into ‘Tulse Hill Station’ – a sombre, confessional break-up song and meditation on recovery. Filled with country-folk influences and references to Hasil Adkins, the track sets a sedate pace to the evening, one that continues into a rendition of ‘The Ballad of Paul Sykes’ – taken from Adamczewski’s 2023 solo release, Adventures in Limbo.
One by one, band members move from backing vocals in the corner of the stage to join Adamczewski front and centre. A stunning rendition of ‘Graveyard (Of Our Love)’ caps off a slow, haunting first quarter of the set before A Man For All Seasons standout ‘Alien’ gets the crowd moving. With its catchy, 60s-inspired veneer holding up a mirror to the song’s melancholic sentiments, and lyrics that explore stalking an object of desire, the tune is an early highlight. Its raw vocal work sees Adamczewski adopt a Bowie-esque affectation, while its conclusion collapses into noise rock collision.
Described as “a romance with an old man on a hill” by Adamczewski, the perversely Lynchian ‘Cliff Has Left the Building’ delivers the night’s zenith and is one of the few tracks aired from Insecure Men’s self-titled 2018 debut. Languid and surreal, the rendition epitomises the band’s off-kilter style, with darkly comic lyrics that depict a bizarre romance between its protagonist and Cliff Richard.
Built around bluesy guitars and upbeat melodies, ‘Krab’ compares a lover to a squirming crab and touches on themes of co-dependence: “my little crab squirming around, its daytime again, and I am yours, and you are mine.” The hypnotically playful bop is elevated in a live setting and tees up ‘Time is a Healer’, another wounded breakup song.
Adamczewski’s sweepingly seductive croon gives way to a searing mirage of influences before ‘Weak’ and ‘Cleaning Bricks’ close the night. The latter takes on a grittier, rockier edge in its live version, ending with Adamczewski rolling around on the floor with his guitar to cap off the evening in a suitably unhinged style.
The crowd chants for more and lingers for 10 minutes or so, but ultimately it proves to be futile. Insecure Men have little left to prove anyway. If you’re expecting anything akin to Fat White Family, you’ll be disappointed- Insecure Men possess a confusing yet alluring charm, rooted in both vulnerability and hope, and put on a fucking good show while doing it. While the brevity of their set (around 45 minutes) may disappoint some, it feels fitting for a band whose frontman has made a career out of spitting in the face of expectations.
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PHOTO CREDIT -NEIL THOMSON
