Albums of the Year # 81 Wurld Series - What's Growing

  Second best Teenage Fanclub, Dinosaur Jr. and Pavement album of 2021. Not made by Teenage Fanclub, Dinosaur Jr. and Pavement. 

What's Growing, the second album from Christchurch, New Zealand trio Wurld Series sets off off from a familiar base. The skewed, independent guitar heroics of Dinosaur Jr., early Teenage Fanclub and Pavement. Back from there naturally to Neil Young and Crazy Horse and all the fun they had over the years. Melody, but twisted melody. The sound of a group of friends having great fun together, playing guitars.

This, as I've said, is instantly familiar. But it's a familiarity for things that I've got a lot of time for. From opening tracks Harvester and Nap Gate which set that particular scene, What's Growing begins to wander off into more unusual and original paths in the alternative rock forest. Always predicated by a love of guitars and the things they can do but determined to establish a niche position for Wurld Series in this slightly overcrowded thicket.

I'd say they do so. These songs, with their determinedly asymmetrical perspectives and angular valour, make a good argument for not always attempting to reinvent the wheel. I was charmed and drawn in. At the moment Wurld Series might be essentially a support band, but they're one who you enjoy and appreciate, all the time wondering where life might take them next.

As the record unfolds,What's Growing takes in floral flute and becomes more reminiscent of outsider Folk, the textures of early Julian Cope, Syd Barrett and the likes of Caravan and the Canterbury Scene. This is whimsical stuff for those who are partial to whimsy but Wurld Series have the good sense to change the pace and put their foot on the gas whenever you feel this might be getting a little self-indulgent. Fun is clearly high on their agenda.

What's Growing is a record I've been looking forward to hearing for a while and it hasn't let me down. I know exactly what's in Wurld Series record collection. They make little effort to hide their sources, or rub away their fingerprints, but ultimately this record is accomplished enough on its own terms, and certainly enjoyable enough to mean a plagiarism viva should not be arranged. 

Not as good a record of this particular type as Kiwi Jr's exemplary Cooler Returns from earlier in the year. But certainly worthy of exploration. It's a happy reminder of wonderful things that inclines this particular listener to revisit and wonder once again at some of its source texts.