Dec 21, 2013
Sprinkle sugar over me
To think, there are people who have never experienced the gustatory glee that comes from spreading fresh, white bread with thick layers of salted butter and Tate & Lyle’s Golden Syrup.
Equally there are people whose olfactory sense has never been graced with the sound of the Wave Pictures, the quirky English pop band whose latest LP, City Forgiveness, was much anticipated in these parts.
But whereas the unholy, unhealthy marriage of bread, butter and syrup never fails to grant extravagant pleasure, the same cannot be said of the Wave Pictures record, where a predilection for overly long guitar solos detract from what would otherwise be an entirely satisfactory experience. Thankfully there are respites from fiddly fretboard meanderings, notably on this track, which has been liberally spread and sprinkled with musical loveliness.
Wave Pictures :: Golden Syrup ⬇
Equally high hopes were held for the latest from Brooklyn’s I’m in You, though those hopes were perhaps prematurely elevated, based as they were on one single, featured here previously, and an early sample from the LP. That sample remains the best track on Trust, which pleases rather than delights. Sometimes that is enough.
I’m in You :: Ex-Cult
Brooklyn is arguably the centre of the musical universe at the moment, a claim that can never be made about Reading. The 1990 LP by The Heart Throbs is a joy, albeit one that took me 23 years to discover, despite spending seven years in the town most famous for—well, what is Reading famous for? Fortunately there is no statute of limitation that prevents this band from belatedly laying claim to this blog’s All-time Best Ever Band from Reading title.
The Heart Throbs :: I Wonder Why ⬇
That’s the kind of gentle, reassuring, guitar pop guaranteed to put smiles on faces. So is this, the b-side of the second single from Swansea foursome The Adelines.
The Adelines :: Park the Car
Which is precisely what I’ll be concerned about when I head north for New Year.
The Fall :: Edinburgh Man
Photo: Pancaeks & golden syrup by Rain Rabbit; some rights reserved
Twitter: The Wave Pictures; I’m In You; The Adelines.