R.Ring, The Lexington, London

Kelley Deal (The Breeders) and Mike Montgomery (Ampline) describe the music of their latest project R.Ring, as “scarce, chaotic, abrasive and lulling, often within the same song.” This may be a new project but the elements of their sound are immediately familiar – in particular Deal’s vocals are reassuringly unmistakable. A jerky, cheeky number about a drag queen coming to town called ‘Tricia Delicious’ employs her effect layered vocal and suddenly it’s great to be here in this intimate venue with one of the friendliest figures in US alternative music.

Two acoustic guitars give most of the songs a demo-like quality, a put together from scratch, not quite finished sound. Single ‘Fall Out & Fire’ sounds just great as it is, the repetitive loops have a soothing quality – a lullaby for after some cataclysmic event perhaps. Even with just acoustics they make a fair amount of noise; distortion pedals and thrashed out riffs rub against Deal’s heavily reverbed voice.

A cover of Shellac’s ‘Ghosts’ brings the affably duelling guitars into full effect, Deal keeping Montgomery in line like a stern but affectionate teacher with a recalcitrant student. She proceeds to shoulder a homemade keytar – to amused gasps – “We had to pay extra to bring it!” says Montgomery. “Give it a chance,” says an incredulous Deal. Any thoughts that they might be going for irony are swept away by the dream-like quality of the song that follows.

Deal pops another piece of nicotine gum into her mouth and seems as pleased as the rest of us to be here. There are glimpses of familiar vocal ticks from older records in these sketches. Montgomery thanks his boss for coming all the way from America to “Check up on me” as he takes the helm and Deal crouches down to make wave noises, shushing and whooshing.

“Right Ring you and me belong to the steam,” he sings, perhaps their name refers to rings worn on the fingers of the right hand, declaring independence and happiness (“The left hand is for thee but the right hand is for me”)? Here are two musicians who have got together to do the thing they like to do best, to write and play, for no other reason than that they’re passionate about it.

They end on a noisier tune, according to Montgomery about “My deaf grandmother’s belief that the pope sent the Vatican guard to assassinate her husband,” which features Deal on electric guitar. R.Ring’s music feels like a work in progress and it will be interesting to see if they flesh it out for an album. In the meantime it’s an uplifting interlude – between Deal’s sideline knitting scarves and waiting for the Breeders reunion to pick up again – as enjoyable to watch as it looks like it is to play.