Friday 30 July 2010

Stephen James Buckley and the Feverdreamers

Look at that band name. Just look at it; six words. SIX. That's the maximum permitted limit for Registered Political Parties in the UK, and by the Heavens you can imagine these Lancashire miserablists coming around at election time to direct undecided voters to the nearest pub to scape all the silliness.

Well, okay, "miserablists" is not entirely accurate, for SJB&TF have a sly wit undercutting their accented blues. With "Cover of the Rolling Stone", the lightest of the tracks on new EP "...have left the building", nevertheless runs along with a style which presumably must be accompanied by video footage of the band nodding their heads to the barman to order extra drinks during the set. The sleazy "Fabulous Club" has a storyteller's charm, albeit the kind with a parental advisory sticker and its own sleek black carrier bag. "Behind The Moon" is something altogether different - it's not 'haunting' in the sense All Saints' "Pure Shores" was 'haunting', it genuinely does unsettle, a lament that is so honest it hurts. Real foot-on-a-plug-socket hurts.

To be absolutely honest - would you want things any other way? - the EP is one of the strongest little (even 'ickle' for those who prefer such linguistic throwaways) collections you are likely to hear, accompanied or not by swigging red wine straight from the bottle.

Stephen James Buckley and The Feverdreamers' "...have left the building" can be found, listened to, and downloaded here

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