Sleepwalker
"Sleepwalking / Eavesdropping"
review by Ruth
This introduction to the Manchester-based four piece is a subtle bedroom guitar
piece
that smells of empty houses and white bare walls. While pleasant enough, it
sounds a bit
muted and samey when compared to recent live sets. B-side the tropical-flavoured
'Eavesdropping' is more tempting, with it's louche chorus vocals, backing
effects
that run up your neck and beautiful harmonies. However, those who have seen them
before
will know that Sleepwalker have much better songs in their repertoire than these
two,
which unfortunately means it's only a...
3/5
|
Sleepwalker
"Antelope/Hold"
(Infectious)
review by Ruth
This comes to us from a CDR passed to us by lead singer Pat at a gig as their
proposed
second single on Uglyman Records. 'Antelope' is a graceful guitar ballad that
saunters
through your head and pours itself into your ears like wine. Pat's voice
delicately runs
alongside the guitar as it struggles to free itself and let rip. The bass and
guitar trembles shudder through the tenderness of 'Hold' (both referring
to the physical action, and the feeling about life), with it's strange imagery
of
"avalanches" of memories, and longing. "I wish you were my little
bumblebee/you could
levitate yourself to me" sings Pat, but somehow, it doesn't sound twee or
embarrassing.
Just immensely tender and touching.
5/5
|
The Somatics
"Last Days in an Old Town / Ashes
to Coal"
(Shifty Disco)
review by Ruth
Some of you may remember our interview with Paul Hope of Sleepy People, the band
that
eventually spawned Ultrasound. Now here come the fruits of the third generation.
The omens bode well for Richard Green's new outfit, following on from past rock
husband
and wife teams It's Jo and Danny, Fleetwood Mac, and, erm, Richard and Judy.
"Last Days"
fractured drumming drifts into a summer fete on the hippy green with
tambourines and
organic beer, and mesmerising dream-like harmonies. In the meantime, 'Ashes to
coal' is
a daisy-chain version of the couple singing in the church in 'Four Weddings And
A Funeral'.
It's quite possible that if they were as dreamy and happy as this in real life,
I would want
to shoot them, but as such this is gorgeously unsaccharine - less candy-pop,
more like gorgeous
warm apple cider.
4/5
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