Nottingham’s The Soundcarriers love of psychedelic grooves and trippy library music adds up to a thrilling debut of retro pop eclecticism. After a somewhat perfunctory ‘Intro’, ‘Time Will Come’ is an easy listening thrill, that situates this rather fine band somewhere between the Shibuya-kei movement of the nineties and Stereolab’s more esoteric moments.Uncertainty’ follows in a similar vein and, while the vocals may be slightly saccharine, it also has a lovely pastoral English quality that brings to mind a certain chap by the name of Nick Drake, especially when its lush string arrangement shifts into an up tempo coda that is truly fantastic. ‘Caught By The Sun’ is another wonderful track that could be an outtake by ‘Elephants Memory’ or ‘The Groop’, and easily would have fitted on the soundtrack for ‘Midnight Cowboy’ and you may not hear a finer pop thrill all year than ‘Calling Me’.
You see, The Soundcarriers have a certain flair, an eye for the attention of detail and they sound so authentic it hurts, but always in a good way. `Harmonium` is superbly produced, subtle and muscular in its inventive arrangements, with each successive track building upon the last, adding to a cohesively heady mix of sonic alchemy. It will be perfect for the coming Summer months, and a few Winter nights too.
Just when you think it`s over, a reprise ups the groove potential, due to its combination of electrifying bass and drums assault. ‘Volcano’ erupts in a Mount Versuvuis like explosion of wah wah and clarinet, evolving into an affected mantra of psychedelica. ‘Been Out To See’, starts off like Lee Hazelwood, circa ‘Some Velvet Morning’, as drums splash and the bass truly glides and rumbles. ‘Without Sound’ is even better, a mid tempo strut that comes over all ’Melody Nelson’ cool, before morphing into part two’s simply astonishing Bernard Hermann-like psych-beats. This is a contender for album of the year so far.
Culturedeluxe.com - link
NEW ALBUM
'Harmonium'
The Soundcarriers debut is available now, on CD, Double LP and Download
For further information and to purchase, please click here
Further information is available here: www.melodic.co.uk
