Prague's Latimer House


I just listened to the new single from the four man band Latimer House that claims to be based in Prague.

”Interesting,” I thought, “Prague Rock.” I always like rock and roll with a local flavor, especially an exotic flavor, and Prague, the largest and capitol city of the Czech Republic has the cool Medieval  history and more modern arts scene to make any music coming from there intriguing indeed. Unfortunately Latimer House sounds as Eastern European as Golden Earring sounds Dutch. Having the instrumentalists playing American style rock that sounds as if it could have been from Boston (Boston, J. Giels Band, Aerosmith) and an American singer singing in English does not make Golden Earring a Dutch band. Likewise, the only thing that Prague can boost about with Latimer House is maybe hosting their live shows as the band, fronted by guitarist (and presumably their lead singer) Joe Cook from London, England, sounds as Czechoslovakian as Golden Earring sounds Dutch.

See how cool and psychedelic Prague can be? Imagine how this would sound?

At least on Latimer House’s new single, This Is Pop / Shake! their sound is strictly English, Cockney vocals and all. And not just English but “Rock of the Eighties” New Wave with the sort of bored, “too cool for school” monotone sung/talked vocals of The Petshop Boys or Soft Cell. 


 Kind of a New Wave Pop Art looking cover too.
The other members of the band are Anar Yuufov on keyboards and backing vocals who is from Baku, wherever that is, Jiri Kominek from Toronto on drums and another American from the great state of Virginia, Michael Jetton, on bass. So why are Latimer House from Prague? Is it because they recorded their debut ten song CD called "All The Rage", released on their own label, Honk Records, at Prague's Faust Studios with engineer Derek Saxenmeyer?   

They claim that “All The Rage” would not be what it is without the mandolin and violin of Jim Thompson, who came over from England so it must be the guitar work of Justin Lavash of Prague's blues and jazz bars, the trumpet playing of Tommy Levvechia, and Jan Keller who also plays fretless bass in a modern jazz quartet when not playing with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra that gives Latimer House their Prague cred.


With bands like fun! and Foster The People it sounds to me like there is currently a revival of the New Wave sound of the Eighties so maybe Latimer House is right in style rather than thirty years too late. They’re certainly too late for me but for those who weren’t there the first time around whatever sound is the NOW sound is the only sound that counts. I am disappointed as what my mad little mind was conjuring up as the possible sound of modern “Prague Rock” seemed a whole lot more interesting than a rehash of Human League’s sound but for every old fart disappointed by today's music there are a thousand kids claiming it as their own. Make up your own mind at: http://latimerhouse.bandcamp.com




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