First foray into dreamy-but-doleful waters for this psyche-indie outfit on Deltasonic. But does it have enough grit to succeed?
Musical soulmates David McDonnell and Scott Marmion bonded over a mutual love of Calexico, Neil Young, Nick Cave, The Verve and Elliot Smith to become TSB.
So little surprise that this record is chock full of pretty glum psychedelic-indie.
The layered vocals, spiralling guitar and hint of backwards-played sitar on To Be Where You Are is a warm high point amid pastoral ponderings.
But while Song That Sorrow Sings samples birdsong over finger-picked acoustic guitar, like many it’s hampered by pedestrian, lovelorn lyrics.
Open Your Wings drags its sorry behind around for twice as long as it should too, McDonnell’s deflated vocals hardly helping matters.
The parts are there, but whether it’s too studied, too hackneyed or too tethered down, this album just misfires.
2 stars
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