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ALBUM REVIEW: Joe Tilston – ‘Tightrope’

By
Frank
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0

For those of you saying ‘hold on I know that name from somewhere’ you’re right, Joe is Random Hand’s bass player. But this is the other musical side of Joe; the side influenced by a childhood seeing and hearing his parents – Maggie Boyle and Steve Tilston – in folk clubs.

‘A Love Song Too Late’ sets the scene for the songs on this album. It’s folk-ish rather than folk. It mixes folk and rock into something beautiful. This is all about words and music, the heart in the music. The story of a person realising that a relationship is coming to an end because they weren’t fully in it. The words are direct, emotional.and real.

Joe shifts to acoustic punky folk for ‘Flowers’. I think muscular is the best way of describing it; a bit like an English Springteen if you get that. The other way would be to say it’s big and beaty. In the time I’ve had the album I’ve become quite attached to this.

‘Armistice Day’ is of course a song about war. But it’s taken from the point of view of an officer who ordered men into combat and to their death.The story and the words are incredibly moving. The sound shifts from fast folkish to slow and mournful. The moment the horn comes in is going to move you. A wonderful example of taking a different angle on a topic that’s been done before; but makes you look at something anew.

A beautifully simple folk ballad ‘Evergreen’ is a song to immerse yourself in. ‘Minutes To Midnight’ is the perfect burning building rock song. It’s never quite clear what will happen at midnight; I took it to be the climate crisis but it could equally be war or any other disaster. It’s raw, it’s punkish, it has something of a big rock song. And there’s no getting away from this, this is a big singalong song.

There’s a lovely dual lead vocal on ‘To Continue Press Start’ , Those voices mesmerise over a simple single guitar. This is such a beautiful song. ‘’Eyes On The Road’ comes with a heart of punk. Musically but the key things for me is the way the words and music mesh and the outrageously great guitar.

‘Mirror Mirror’ is a builder – voice and acoustic, the addition of fiddle, a breakdown to guitar alone with a sawing fiddle and finally a layer of subtle guitar as it builds to a climax. Folk-ish, hints of Americana, a dash of the Celt, a touch of rock are mixed into something impressively compelling.

The surprise musically in ‘Rains’ is the way this goes from a full on folk ballad to full on folkish rock song. So subtlety does this happen that you are swept up in the burst, the swell of the sound. But it’s not finished there, it shifts up a gear; and this my friends is a wonderful thing.

Closing track ‘Walking On Walls’ is simple musically but has a big impact. It’s the carefully chosen guitar ‘riff’, it’s the addition of a simple sound to the voice and guitar. Add in some lyrics that brought a lump to my throat. The result is fantastic.

‘Tightrope’ is a collection of songs, songs that vary in style, mood and feeling. But all of them show songwriting that is simply outstanding. These are songs where the music and the lyrics work so brilliantly together I found myself almost speechless.

These are songs that have beauty musically and, more importantly, emotionally. Listening to them you can feel that Joe is putting his heart and soul into them.

This is an album to study, to let yourself sink into, to ponder the words. These are beautiful songs.

The info

Joe Tilston is the bass player in punk band Random Hand.

Joe has a punk heart, but his music has a different heartbeat. It’s Folkish, it’s beautiful, and at times cutting and direct. Tightrope is full of songs of Death & Hope, and is unashamed to bare all. The music takes influence from a childhood brought up in smoky, beer swilled folk clubs, where his parents, renowned folk artists Maggie Boyle and Steve Tilston held court and shared their music. Offering echoes of his roots and a nod to his previous album “Embers” , new album “Tightrope” still bears the mark of teenage rebellion, that has taken Joe on a journey through the world’s punk and ska scenes, for nearly two decades.

SINGLE NEWS: Fizzy Blood drop new single ‘Complementary’

By
LSF Staff Writers
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Fizzy Blood have unveiled their shimmering new single ‘Complementary’. It follows previous single ‘Ka Palaho Beach’, which marked their first new music in almost four years. Both singles to date capture a significant evolution in the band’s sound and are telling of things to come.

“It feels good to be back!”, explains vocalist Benji inkley, “We’ve been sitting patiently on new music for a few years now and to finally be able to share it with everyone is such a buzz. What I’m feeling can only be described as a mixture of pride and relief haha. Complementary wasn’t originally marked by any of us at the time of writing as a single but we’ve all come to love it. The lyrics, the sound, everything. It’s one of the tracks on the album that you could leave on repeat and just never turn off.”

With roots in Leeds’ bustling music scene, Fizzy Blood have three EPs under their name to date – Pink Magic (2018), Summer Of Luv (2017) and Feast (2015).

Benji Inkley – Vocals / Guitars
Paul Howells – Guitars / Keys
Tim Malkin – Guitars / Keys
Ciaran Scanlon – Bass
Jake Greenway – Drums

https://www.facebook.com/FIZZYBLOODMUSIC
https://twitter.com/fizzybloodmusic
https://www.instagram.com/fizzybloodband
https://www.tiktok.com/@fizzybloodband

EP REVIEW: VENUS GRRRLS – ‘Potions’

By
Frank
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0

I’m slightly late in reviewing this, for which I can only apologise. New songs from VENUS GRRRLS are always exciting because they always bring something new to the party. If you’ve been keeping up you’ll know that they gave us more than a hint of this with the release of ‘Goth Girl’ and ‘Sudocream Queen’ which both dealt with very personal topics in an open and honest way. And you can expect that in the other songs on the EP.

GK explains ‘Writing this EP has been a product of a vast range of experiences which intertwined with the pandemic. We really were able to spend time focusing on the writing, even when remote, while the live industry was on hold. The lyrics are much more confrontational, we really haven’t held back on this one. Anyone that has listened to us in the past knows that we like to be as open as we can when it comes to our own experiences, in an attempt to share them with others in the hope they might provide comfort or solace. I think the difference with POTIONS is the exploration of body image and insecurity in ‘Sudocream Queen’, as well as ‘Glisten’ being our first love song. It feels incredibly intimate to be sharing, but ultimately we’re incredibly proud of the songs and feel that they really showcase who we want to become as people and as a band”.

It is because the band’s songs always have a message or story that I always wish I had song lyrics to hand, and it’s more the case with these songs. That said, let’s get into it.

It’s been a while since I listened to ‘Hate Me’, and boy is it as good as I thought when I reviewed it. You can go read the review for my longer take on the track but here’s some highlights.

With every release the band push the envelope of their sound changing it in small, or indeed big, ways that add fresh thrills.

The fresh thrill in the case of ‘Hate Me’ is a big dose of funky pop goodness. Cueing this thing up for the first listen I got the impression that they had decided to take the radical step of making a pop song – filled with funky bass, some wonderful sly synth lines – but no they’re just messing with us, first impressions can be wrong. Think of this as alt-rock where the quiet is that wonderful poppy sound, and the loud is, well let’s describe it as an all out sonic attack. I say all out but there’s nuance that funky bassline kind of continues into the loud; and this, my friends, is an utter fucking joy.

You’d expect this to be a song about something, a message, a story, and it is. GK explains ‘The song can be construed in a multi-faceted manner, tackling once again similar issues that exist within our previous tracks such as Goth Girl and Deranged. An example of this being where women are continually judged for behaviours that their male counterparts are not judged for, and thus being looked at differently for no real logical reason. Correspondingly, Hate Me is delivered in a story-telling fashion that focuses on unsaid emotions between people, where there is a complete lack of communication about said feelings and happenings. It’s about the internal complexities this can cause, and explores the desire to have clarity and closure. It’s one of our more simplistic songs lyrically, but with the punchiness of the song we wanted there to be an uncomplicated and bold dialect alongside it’

I know the band surprise released ‘Sudocream Queen’ but this is actually the first time I’ve heard it. What we have musically is something along the same lines as ‘Hate Me’; that mix of pop and hard as hell noise. But this track pushes the pop upfront; their are some frankly exquisite pop sounds here.

Right up front is GK’s vocal – this track really shows off the range of her voice – from so sweet pop vocal to full on alt-rock, and of course everything in between. But listen closer; there is some banging synth going on here.

But above and beyond that, this song has a tune, a tune you can hum, a tune that worms its way into your head. And there’s more, for this track is a bouncy thing that just insists you throw yourself around.

‘Goth Girl’ is still as huge as I remember it, huger if anything coming after the previous two tracks. Again you can go read the long review which addresses the topic of the song in more detail but, as before, here’s some highlights.

What I’m going to say right here, and right now, is that this song bloody fucking rocks. It musically kicks arse, multiple arses. It has just the right amount of Goth sound in there to fit the song’s topic without going over the top. The playing is out there, way out there.

The song is a story, GK says ‘Goth Girl is most definitely a story, there is a running order to it. It begins painting a picture of two friends hanging out, who eventually realise their struggles for their choice of clothes and makeup’. GK goes on ‘t I quickly began to think about the strange and unique stereotypes people associate with alt/goth people. There are still struggles and strange interpretations of counter-culture, e.g. Witches/Goths ‘hexing’ people, but currently Goth has come more into fashion than it used to be, which is fine. Albeit, I imagine it to be difficult for those who were treated unfairly in the past to accept this, just because something was less socially acceptable at the time’.

Banger, nope this thing is one huge fireworks show.

And finally the surprise of ‘Glisten’. Musically it goes from haunting ethereal pop beauty building slowly, oh so slowly, to the release of the noise. The kicker is the return to the ethereal before it explodes in life. That musical form suits the topic – love – so well. The lyrics are open and honest, full of emotion and incredibly moving.

Look I think I need to say nothing more than this song is beautiful – musically, lyrically. It’s a song you need to experience, not read what I think of it.

VENUS GRRRLS continue to grow and innovate with every release, and if you want or need proof, ‘Potions’ is that. Their songwriting has changed; that injection of personal experiences has made the songs more hard hitting, more thought provoking, more real, more compelling. And I, for one, love that.. Musically the songs show that the band are stretching themselves becoming more inventive, adding layers of subtlety to their already wonderful sound. VENUS GRRRLS are getting better and better with every release.

SINGLE REVIEW: Heir – ‘Spare Room’

By
Frank
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0

I love a great pop song and ‘Spare Room’ is a really great pop song. Call it alt-pop, call it indie-pop I don’t really care; to me it’s a fabulous pop song.

It has, to my ears at least, something of a retro feel. A feel that sits somewhere in the yacht-rock area. It’s the frankly wonderful harmonies, the catchy tune, the 70s/60s pop guitar stabs. Having taken a moment to listen to songs of the yacht-rock age, it sounds like I remember them sounding; not how they actually sound. So it’s retro but of now. It does things that were probably not possible sound-wise back then.

And the sound of this thing is amazing; there’s not a sound or note out of place. It’s as smooth as a smooth thing. It’s creamy, there is no other way of describing it. And yet while it’s smooth, it doesn’t overwhelm the fact that this is a dance track, an old school dance track.

This, my friends, is perfect pop. Get your best dancing clothes on, and go throw some shapes.

ALBUM REVIEW: Fiat Lux – ‘Twisted Culture’

By
Frank
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0

Just over 2 years ago I went to see Fiat Lux play their first gig since 1984, and saw a vibrant band who are very definitely still on it and still doing it live. And now we have this new album; for fans this is a real must and for those of you who don’t know the band from way back when, now is the time to get to know them.

Opening track ‘(How Will We Ever) Work This Way’ is a joy. Yes, it’s electro-pop, and still recognisably them of old, but somehow it’s of now. This is big sounding electro-pop – rich layers of synth, a banging upfront bass, saxophone to die for and the vocals, boy those vocals.

‘Cul De Sac’ is quieter, darker. It features a kind of spoken sang vocal that’s incredibly atmospheric. It sounds and feels sparse – it’s layers of quiet small sounds, until it bursts into a glorious sax break. This is the epitome of moody electro-pop. And it has a lovely retro 80s’ feel that took me back to then.

If you thought you were going to get an album that was full of the same sort of things, think again. ‘Basement City Living’ is a full on electro rave track. Banging bass lines, soaring synths. Sounds that dash out at you. Random sounding vocals that go from whispers to screams. Urban underground sounds to the max people.

‘The Night We Should Have Met’ is a big big ballad. Subtle clever horns, Piano rather than synths. It’s a timeless sound that shows a different side of the band. Hints of jazz add a classy feel. Wonderful moments aplenty – the breakdown that focuses on the lead and backing vocal that is so pretty, the horn breaks that sweep in and sweep you away. Beautiful.

‘Tighter’ tells the story of a nightclub, and a night out. There’s an edge to the tale and an edge to the music. This is sophisticated dance music. Saxophone, distorted guitar, sudden stops. This is big pop, retro big pop – there is more than a hint of that New Romantic sound here.

And then something that is all about atmosphere, mood and feel; ‘Hope’ is a dark, mainly instrumental that you can wallow in, sink into. It takes you through a journey – sparse electro sounds, sax, guitar, richly layered sections that swell and vocals that punctuate. Compelling and mesmerising.

The urgent ‘It Wasn’t Supposed To Be Now’ is up next. Spacy sounds zap out at you but this is all about the tune, the beat; this is pop people, great pop.

Moody sax takes you into ‘Breathe You In’. There is only one to describe this, scarily perfect slow pop. And yes, it’s 80s’ retro. But it’s just perfect.

‘This Is Your Lifetime’ is darker. There’s an edge of menace, of finality, here. This is wonderful.

On this album Fiat Lux have taken their ‘trademark’ sound and bought it into the now. It will sound retro to people ‘of a certain age’ but ‘of now’ to people who are coming to the band now. The name of the album reflects the pandemic and the way people twisted it to their own advantage. And to a certain extent the individual songs could firstly, reflect the way the pandemic and associated lockdown affected us – many of us will have spent some time thinking about the past and things have could have been. And secondly the release from lockdown – many of us will have made the most of that.

If forced, and I mean forced, to sum this album up in a pithy phrase, I’d describe it as sophisticated electro-pop but this is very much an understatement. A better way of describing it would be to say that this is an album of sophisticated pop made with obvious technical skill but crucially it doesn’t overwhelm the songs – these songs have soul people. The songs vary in feel and sound but hang together as coming from the same band and tell a story overall.

This is an album to really listen to, to really appreciate the way the music has been put together, to absorb the mood and atmosphere of each song. It’s all about the music, and the music is wonderful.

SINGLE REVIEW: KIN – ‘The Runaways’

By
Frank
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0

Some time ago, in the depths of lockdown, I reviewed Grace from KIN’s solo EP – released under the name GracieSouz. I was obviously prompted to take a listen to KIN’s music as a result and I was blown away, so the opportunity to review a release is one I leapt at.

‘The Runaways’ is hard to put into a musical niche – something I really love in a track – but in what is perhaps a vain attempt to describe it I offer dreamy electronica indie-pop. What I mean by this is that it mixes synths and infectious guitar figures and riffs.

The first thing I am drawn to is Grace’s vocals. She has what I might call a distinctive voice – it’s not just a vocal, it’s a performance. Early in the song she’s often vocally staccato but then her voice soars. When it soars it’s beautiful. And later on in the song she shifts her vocals up a notch; and oh boy.

Musically it starts simple – a repetitive guitar, gentle synths. And then it bursts into something huge; and then it repeats. The break is a thing of dreamy beauty building to a climax. There is a story in the music.

And in that music I hear sounds that trigger the thought that although they might be electronica indie-pop, there’s a musical depth. A depth that builds on bands that have been before. There is, and as a 80s’ youth this brings joy, something of The Couteau Twins. It’s there in Grace’s vocals, it’s there in the mix of guitar and synth.

It’s obvious the music tells a story; and this song has a story to tell. Grace explains ‘Inspired by a real experience, The Runaways follows two people as they navigate a new place and relationship together. It encapsulates the excitement and trepidation of leaving a settled life and venturing into the unknown’.

The start of the song is quietly reflective and as the song continues the story it reflects the rush of running away together. So this is a track of music and lyrics telling the story; and doing that perfectly.

And the lyrics of this song are compelling, put together with care and are emotionally real. They deserve your attention.

Early in this review I went through some difficulty in describing what this song is; as is often my way I have to admit. But on a simpler level this is a pop song, a classic pop song, pop written and put together with care and attention. A song that is about something, a song that is full of emotion.

This is a song that is both instantly in your head and rewards repeated listening. There are always new things to hear – a sound you didn’t quite catch before, a vocal that you hear in your soul. And the more you hear the song the more the story of the song compels.

‘The Runaways’ is an incredibly lovely song that in the short time I’ve had it I’ve grown way too addicted to. Make it your new musical addiction.

Stream/Download https://songwhip.com/kin3/the-runaways

The info

KIN are Grace, Ritu and Adam. This female-led trio write atmospheric indie pop blending electronic keys and catchy guitar riffs to produce a sound that is unique, dynamic, and constantly evolving.

The band all have a creative background; Grace is a performance maker and model, and Ritu and Adam are both actors. Adam recently finished a run at the National Theatre and Ritu is a lead in the second series of Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy.

The song is accompanied by a self-directed video filmed in London and Brighton which is inspired by 1980s Hollywood including Steven Speilberg’s ET.

SINGLE REVIEW: Furrowed Brow – ‘The Endless Shouting Tomorrows’

By
Frank
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0

Furrowed Brow often, and I hope you forgive me for this, leave me with a furrowed brow and a deep need, or rather yearning, to know what exactly motivates them to make the music they make. They intrigue me, deeply.

In contrast to the previous tracks I’ve reviewed from the band ‘The Endless Shouting Tomorrows’ is a cross between a space based 70s TV show theme and bleak 80s dark or post-punk electronica. It comes, as I’d expect with that edge of out-thereness, that air of the madcap.

Part of that is the words, which even though I have them in front of me I have not the slightest idea what they are about. By which I mean that beyond a certain implication of despair in the here and now; the detail eludes me. I will offer you what the band say about the track;

‘Swooping down from the rain-soaked nether regions of Dracula’s underpants The Endless Shouting Tomorrows drops a huge uncanny effluence over the dead-eyed inanity of modern living: a wailing, flaunting groan of a song with Post Punk, Glam and Dark Wave convulsions. Primal rhythms, lurching synths, swirling guitars, desolate lyrics and a resolutely DIY aesthetic threaten all pre-packaged platitudes of the present

‘A slice of horrible reality… a breathe (sic) of fresh air!!’

There is, as you can see, a lot to unpack there. I hope that assists. And I’ve included the words below for your study.

The words combined with the swirl of the space age synths, the hard repetition rhythm, the B-52s crossed with early Human League vocals – both dead-pan and out-there – evoke a feel that is of the past, the now and the future, that is dark and gritty.

‘The Endless Shouting Tomorrows’ is bleak, dark and beautiful. Compelling, addictive and intriguing. Inventive, yet strangely familiar. Dangerous with dark humour. Both elegant in feel and bursting with a DIY ethos. A tour de force.

The info

WHO??

Formed in Manchester 2019. Authentic, uncompromising, droll, subversive

Furrowed Brow – ‘because that’s what happens to your face when you first hear us’

Richey – Vocals (he/him)
Alex – Synth / vocals (she/her)
Evie – Bass / vocals (they/them)
Meg – Guitar (she/her)
Criostoir – Drums (he/him)

Influences: Magazine, Damned, Smiths, Velvet Underground, Fall, Denim, Pulp, Divine Comedy, Julian Cope, Magnetic Fields, Violent Femmes, Adverts, Mansun, Modern Lovers, Half Man Half Biscuit, Bowie, Iggy Pop

WHAT??

Post Punk / New Wave / Glam Rock. Up-tempo and punky with wry lyrics that ridicule the hypocrisy, greed and vanity of contemporary society. Tedious love songs are dismissed with scoffing contempt – only irresponsibly catchy and thought-provoking weirdness will do

WHERE??

The Peer Hat, Manchester – Saturday 6th November (SINGLE LAUNCH PARTY)
The Bread Shed, Manchester – Thursday 11th November (Headline show)
Fuel, Manchester – Wednesday 24th November (To Be Announced)
The Salty Dog, Northwich – Friday 10th December (To Be Announced)
Night and Day, Manchester – Thursday 16th December (Main support)

WHY???

In this era of cynical professionalism where artistic output routinely plays second fiddle to ‘brand identity’, wilful integrity and artistic pig-headedness are rare and beautiful virtues – and Furrowed Brow have both in spades. They’re not afraid to make fun of themselves, each other and you, and each of their releases is peculiar to itself.

The band exude gothic archness and a nihilistic impertinence; this in turn prompts reckless creative hedonism –playfulness and frivolity, experimentation, pretension, contradiction, humour, extravagance and glamour

Banality lurks around every corner… the world needs bands like Furrowed Brow!!

‘The Endless Shouting Tomorrows’

I’m on an art trip I’m on a guilt trip I’m despised
515 beards coming at me through the skies
They have to kill to prove themselves
I have the will to do it myself
Spite’s the only thing keeping me alive

​Disgusted I’m crushed in I’m on my knees
If the boredom doesn’t kill me it’ll be the corporate greed
Priests pervert all the good we have
Marketing executives are just as bad
Scorn it all for the library
The endless shouting tomorrows

​Baby talk social laws sensationalist lives
Wherever there’s a glimmer of hope we’ll soon see idiot eyes
Phoniness I can’t deal with it
“Love and Light” it’s so counterfeit
The endless shouting tomorrows

 

SINGLE REVIEW: Flat Moon – ‘Filet-O-Freak’

By
Frank
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Oh wow, this, people, is freaking huge. There is just no other way of describing it. ‘Filet-O-Freak’ is a riot of Pfunk laced with a hefty dose of heavy psychedelia – yes there are echoes of Sly and The Family Stone here, and this is a very good thing.

This is their first release to feature their new saxophone player – Scarlet, and boy her playing is a joy. And the rest of the band are funking it to the max, and beyond. So riotous and unhinged is this track that it feels that it may fall apart, that they’ll lose the groove at any moment; spoiler alert: they don’t. The feel here is live, the best live you’ve ever heard. It’s tight to the point of breaking but loose and real. You hear me. The vocals are appropriately out-there, and they bring a message.

‘The lyrics promote the positives of embracing your individuality, and encourage the celebration of the bizarre or unfamiliar’

And it’s a journey – starting with voices, heavy guitar bursting in, building to a bass heavy funk, breaking down to the grooviest saxophone, and taking it up again to the max.

Flat Moon are bringing the heavy funk people. Get up, get down, freak out, dance yourself into a small sweaty heap. It’s that freaking simple.

The info

Flat Moon are:

Jacob Kendrew
Mathew White
Alistair McCarthy
Alex Woods
Euan Kneale
Scarlet Bishop

https://www.facebook.com/flatmoonband/
https://www.instagram.com/flatmoonband/

SINGLE REVIEW: David J Boswell – ‘Tall Skinny Girlfriend’/’Better Days’

By
Frank
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0

What first attracted me to this pair of songs is that they’re intriguing, they’re observations and musings on life. What that means to me generally is folk music and these do have a hint of folk. Perhaps we might describe them as Alt-Folk or Nu-Folk, folktronica, or even, in the case of ‘Tall Skinny Girlfriend’ folk-pop. Or perhaps we could just give up trying to fit them into a niche.

‘Tall Skinny Girlfriend’ is a gently funky track. You can hear that hint of folk if you listen hard but, hey, it’s the whole we’re interested in. It kind of bounces and bubbles along for all of it’s 1 min 17 seconds. It is indeed a short song about liking tall skinny girlfriends set to a vaguely retro electro beat punctuated by a kind of repeating acoustic guitar. Strangely, or perhaps better brilliantly, it says a lot in that short period and somewhat sparse lyrics. Surprisingly compelling.

‘Better Days’ has me in mind of the quirky psychedelic folk of The Incredible String Band. Strange sounds abound, a slightly disturbing off-kilter warped keyboard provides the backbone to the song around which the odd sounds mesmerise. Those sparse lyrics make another wonderful appearance. Yet for all of this it has a wonderful tune that creeps into your head quietly.

These are songs that I find it hard to put into words why I like them as much as I do; beyond the fact that they’re intriguing. Perhaps it’s because David’s music is just, well, his music; he’s writing to the beat of his own drum; so to speak. The word I’m attempting not to use here is quirky; and I guess many of you will be reaching for that to describe what he does.. A better word would be individual; in that he’s approaching lyric and music writing in what is his individual way and style.

These songs are quietly wonderful, incredibly compelling and strangely beautiful. Listen and be taken into David’s world.

ALBUM REVIEW: Samh – ‘Fat of the Apple’

By
Frank
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0

I’ve been reviewing releases from Samh for a while now and they are one of those bands whose musical output is, let’s say, varied; folk, rock, dance amongst others. But the kicker here is that while on first listen a track may sound like a certain genre there’s a twist; their sound is warped and slippery, genre defying.

It also comes with intelligence, great musicianship and a great deal of care and love. It’s also worth saying that Samh are an ‘underground band’ with a cult-like following who don’t play that many gigs. I also have to admit that even though I live in their hometown – Huddersfield – I’ve yet to catch them playing sadly. For which I can only apologise.

‘Fat of the Apple’ opens with ‘Split the Sky’. If you can imagine a sound that is close to Radiohead playing Nu Folk with hints of psychedelia and indie, this is it. There is warpedness to the sound – drums and bass seem to be playing out of time (but aren’t). The music twists and slips out of your grasp at every moment. One moment it seems to be going to folk and then psychedelic jazz keys stab out, you think it’s going to keep on sounding like it is and then outrageous guitar comes from nowhere.

‘Layered Lands’ sounds of all things like one of those mannered pop sounds from the 80s. However it also has a chorus that sounds like Crosby, Stills and Nash and guitar that sears. And a break that features a rumbling guitar. Quite how you’d describe this in a pithy way I have not the faintest idea. The sound is layered, the music weaves in and out of itself but it has the most wonderful tune.

That CSN feel returns with ‘Early Bird’. Richly layered sections follow sparse sections. But then again it isn’t as simple as I describe it; warped picked guitar, drumming that doesn’t follow the beat at times. The vocals on this track amaze; layers of vocals, a lead vocal that not only sings the words but is yet another layer of sound – that you can hold onto, that guides you through the song.

‘Woodwork’ sounds, in contrast to those many layered songs that came before, simpler. The best way I can describe this is that it has a warped beauty. Hints of folk mix with jerky alt-rock. It’s haunting, somehow it gets to your soul and stays.

At an epic 8 minutes ‘Atoms’ is a musical exploration, a journey. A track that builds through feels and sounds; centred on a halting beat. There are hints of that somewhat disjointed sound of The Incredible String Band, It is gentle and then strident. At one point it sounds like ‘Next’ (a Jacques Brel song covered by The Sensational Alex Harvey Band) and then it mutates into a sweet sweet song with a strangely disconcerting spoken voice. It is strange, it’s weird, it’s strangely weirdly beautiful.

After ‘Atoms’, ‘Keeping Waves’ feels like an interlude. The easiest way of summing this track up is that this is Samh’s take on psychedelic pop. Echoey vocals float over a halting beat.

‘Bluebells’ takes that feel and slows it down. Vocals from a distance, Sounds sweep over you, vocal harmonies wash over you, soothing your soul. It is both ethereal and carefully richly layered. It draws you in. And yet it changes, slowly almost without you noticing; it turns into psychedelic folk-rock.

Waves of sound take you into ‘Breathe in Good’, a gentle acoustic and then a voice. It’s folk, yes but not as you know it. Progressive folk or perhaps Nu Folk. It’s perhaps the most immediate song on the album because it’s actually quite simple. But simple is difficult to do well. This is done incredibly well. It has a simple beauty that you connect with.

‘Toadstool’ has an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ theme. It’s appropriately crazy. It has horns, in a Spanish way. Then suddenly it goes all klezmer. Joyful.

‘Animals’ is a song of two parts. The first is plaintive – voice and plucked guitar. It has something of an alt-folk feel to it.Being the old hippy that I am (and that’s something I have to confess to) I hear hints of Incredible String Band and Nick Drake. This part of the song is beautiful. But then it changes, it starts to build into something almost AOR-ish. His vocals change – I hear hints of Roy Harper at his most angry and Peter Gabriel – It does, but not in a screechy guitar sort of way, rock out. There is a pulsing organ. Drums pound.

Closing track ‘Giants’ is the most fabulous ballad. Horns are plaintive. It is gentle then suddenly turns to a jazzy rawness, something with the toughness of a troubadour. And then it’s jaunty; horns are full of joy.

There are two things I’ve yet to address in this review. The first is that this sort of complex, experimental at times, music that blends and merges genres isn’t going to be any good unless the playing is way up there, and it is completely.

The second is the words. The album as a whole ‘explores the place of humans floating out in space on a rock, as both completely insignificant and immensely meaningful. Bouncing ideas from some of the greatest thinkers of the last few thousand years, “Fat of the Apple” merges science, philosophy, religion, and psychedelia to create a thoughtful concoction of medicinal Music’; and this requires lyrical depth. The words are compelling – sometimes easily understood, sometimes requiring more time to ponder on. More time, I have to admit, than your reviewer had. However these are songs that can be interpreted in different ways according to who is listening to them. The music is the thing that draws you in, compels you to listen to the words.

It would be easy to say that this is music that is idiosyncratic and strange in places, and therefore is going to be enjoyed by people who like their music to have a hint of the strange. And yes, it is strange in places. But in reality this is music that is all the things that music can be – joyful, haunting, sad, heartfelt – that comes in it’s own style rather than a genre. You can hear the influences that have been blended into something wonderful; but that isn’t the point, the point is to listen to the whole.

Up until now I have only reviewed singles from Samh; and those have left me stunned. This album is almost too much. The individual songs are fabulous but it’s the album as whole that is overwhelmingly lovely. This is one beautiful thing.

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