Gwan Tuwizmo?

Bit of a funny one, this. I'm not 100% sure whether I thought Mazawattee were good, the sound was so dire it was impossible to tell. That's odd, The Bully is normally great for sound. So, I decided to assume they were good, because they clearly know what a tune is.

MAZAWATTEE/ NO WORRIES IF NOT/ RICH RAINFORD, Bully, 13/11/25 

Rich Rainford’s songs are unashamedly big and emotional. Everything he plays tonight has a huge melodic vocal lines and warm earnest lyrics that immediately grab the listener. Structurally the songs are relatively simple, but they’re also light, soft and inviting, like a ziggurat made from Duplo bricks and marshmallows, hitting like stripped back Snow Patrol tunes, and even jaded cynical music reviewer realise that in an increasingly bitter and unhappy world a rousing anthem like ‘Raise Your Voice’ is a lovely thing. 

Another lovely thing is fresh French bread, although, unlike No Worries If Not, we prefer to eat it rather than wave it around in choreographed shapes over sleek electro. This boulangerie banger of an opener sets the tone, being musically shiny and enticing, but also irreverently humorous (hint: they’re not really singing about baguettes). The tracks hark back to the turn-of-the-century camp club pop of Trouser Enthusiasts, and the vocals are delivered with deadpan exuberance, if that’s not a complete paradox. Pitched somewhere between Confidence Man and the Footlights revue, No Worries If Not will make you dance, and have you enter a world of pain. 

Mazawattee play rootsy indie something akin to a soft-focus Hothouse Flowers, or The Daintees with a penchant for smooth Californian classic rock textures. ‘Waterslide’ is a gently skipping quavery pop tune that feels as though it's been beamed directly from Truck 2002, and is typical of the band’s natural melodic sense. Perhaps because there are some technical problems tonight, a brace of simple acoustic tracks sound best, showcasing how the strong the two vocalists are. A gig where the sound only really sems to balance for the last number may not be the one on which to judge Mazawattee, but even in these circumstances we can tell they have a winning breezy naturalness. Is it summer yet?