One of the more interesting young, independent guitar bands to emerge from these islands in recent years, Brighton's Penelope Isles eschew the currently well trodden path for young bands of this stripe these days. Namely the Post Punk one of the likes of Squid, Dry Cleaning, Black Country New Road and Black Midi. Doffing their caps to The Fall, Gang of Four and Free Jazz.
Instead they take a more sunlit and altogether more pleasing path, at least to my ears. Second album Which Way To Happy, released recently, finds them evoking memories of the likes of Shoegaze, Sarah Records, Sixties Pop and Allvays and much else while all the while staying in their own lane. It's another well crafted and delightful record and a definite step onwards from 2019 debut, Until The Tide Creeps in, itself a fine album.
Too late to get any recognition in my own run down of favourite albums of 2021, it certainly would have done had it been released a couple of months earlier because, it's altogether dreamy. Quite special.
Penelope Isles don't conform to given rules. There are guitar solos that wouldn't have sounded out of place on some Prog record, by the likes of Hatfield of the North released in 1974, alongside more familiar moments that might remind you of early Saint Etienne and Lush. Delicious, and an album I'll be playing a lot in the coming weeks.
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