Phil Lewis
Ripple From a Small Pond
Monday 26th of September 2011
There is something of Frankie Goes To Hollywood in the first song on this album. 'I Think It's Time' is an ambient intro to the record that builds up the anticipation.
'Everything Just As It Should Be' is a cross between Turin Brakes and The Beautiful South with a bit of the feel of 'The 13th' in the beat. This song slides nicely into the more enigmatic 'Bright On All Sounds'. This smouldering track has flickers of Edwyn Collins.
'Worlds Apart' kicks off with a looping xylophone, but is a song that waits for its chorus with a bit of a lazy verse. The chorus is a good one, slightly Suede-esque in the style of the later albums.
Gradually building itself into something of an anthem, 'Back To Budapest' ingratiates itself after a rocky start, and just when it gets really good it hands over to 'I Live In Hope', with its ethnic beat and sombre tone.
'Dripping Away' is a nice gentle ballad, almost a lullaby with its picked guitar and soft warm strings. This is one of the better sounding melodies on the record, with the softness in the vocal giving it a smooth tone.
Things aren't as sickly sweet as you think they are going to be in the ironically titled 'Everybody's Happy', a social commentary, but also one of the best songs on the record - along with the next track 'Faith'.
'New Page' is a bouncy pop record with 'Wrap My Arms' ending the record with a piano and a guitar.
You can fall in and out of love with this record. There are bits you really like, and bits that you don't. I think that this is probably down to the world-music feel of much of the record, combined with the exotic switches in instrumentation. There are songs that follow a thread, but also completely off the wall tracks that stow away on the album.
Author: Michael Beck
Label: Self-Released
Found in: Record Reviews