Thursday, July 28, 2016

Song(s) of the Day # 921 Charles Howl



This record, the debut album from Charles Howl entitled Sir Vices, released last year is quite wondrous in itself but additionally has helped me rediscover the early joy and promise of The Stone Roses,something I thought I'd never re-imagine. That whole vibe is so dead more than twenty five years on given the way that that particular band have trashed their own legacy and become a cliche. I never thought I'd love them again. But here it is once more, Wedded to a Lo-Fi and tightly honed sound that revisits the whole 'worship the sun' vibe of the early Roses. Summoning guitars and the itching feeling that something is just about to happen. The album keeps a tight rein throughout. Never lets a song go on beyond four minutes, and each track maintains its boundaries and is mostly stuck between the two and three minute limit. It makes you feel like you're at a fairground and are getting off one ride and about to go on to another. Giddy, and unable to resist the next moment. That whole basic thrill. Always different but always slightly the same.


The interesting wedding the band choose is between Ian Brown at his very best, way back in his deep, dark meaningful days is by matching that vision with the rattle of The Modern Lovers and the pure noise, drive and purpose of Neu. It's perfect on its own terms. Twelve songs long as every record should be. Six on each side.Thisalbum has the pure song to song joy of Kilimanjaro and Murmur without really cohering as an object and product in the way those two naturally did. It's still a quite wonderful thing!



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