the boy least likely to - the best party ever
before you even drop the disc in the player - you just know this is not going to be an hour of misery and torture, there's not going to be any pain involved, and, having overdosed on cold electronic noises for last few weeks this could indeed be the perfect antidote. from the outset the cover image gives away many secrets. with its art depicting colourful cartoon animals all lined up with various noises making devices and balloons you sense this is an album for lighter moods, innocent emotions, and will indeed provide a welcome respite to the stresses of the modern world.
comprising of 12 lo-fi indie pop songs made by pete (music) and jof (singer/lyricist) and dragging in various mates to flesh out the sounds, several of these songs have appeared on limited 7 inch vinyl available via ebay bidding wars, this album proper collects these together for the lazy folks amongst us.
and lo - for 37 minutes this album does everything it should. easy on the ear melodies, sing-a-long chorus's, subtle nudges into lyrical surreal ness, toy box noises, handclaps, and joyous songs recalling all sorts of classic pop song creators from the last 20 years. there's teenage fanclub style guitars, super furry animal harmonies, belle and sebastian lyrical wordplay, and more importantly simplistically addictive marc bolan pop hooks all wrapped up with all sorts of non-standard noises (glockenspiels, fiddles get dropped in from time to time), which makes for a really great unpretentious album.
i mean, 4 listens in and you'll be smiling and swinging along whether you want to or not, just try and listen to 'i'm glad i hitched my apple wagon to your star' without imagining yourself being in the bedroom where this was recorded and joining in with the backing vocals - the song has the most uplifting happy vibe i have heard in years, which may annoy the more serious amongst you, but for me it induced a smile from ear to ear, even the recorder solo section, an instrument i hate, is ace.
oh, and there's banjos involved .. need i say more?
and, the good news is there's loads of songs like this - the acoustic guitars and driving rhythm of 'hugging my grudge' (schoolboy dreams and hormonal impulses), the lonesome country and western feel to 'my tiger my heart', the glockenspiel overload of the opening 'be gentle with me', with its declaration of 'i'm happy because i'm stupid'. ok, i accept that from certain more serious places the accusation of 'twee overdose' will probably be aimed at the happy clappy duo, but i care not, and i suspect neither do they !
this album will warm hearts, sooth the fiercest of bad moods and generally make the world a better place - excellent stuff.
extra stuff : interview !