"O"
(Team Love / Moshi Moshi)
seven / ten
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TILLY AND THE WALL "O" (Team Love / Moshi Moshi)
seven / ten |
The early days of 2009 have ushered in the cold chill of recession, and with it an overpowering sense of pessimism. But fear not! Tilly And The Wall may have just delivered the antidote to those cash strapped blues.
Though this supposedly untitled album is meant to be referred to as O, Happy Go Lucky would have been a much more suitable title. Since 2004's debut Wild Like Children, Tilly And The Wall have been perfecting their unique blend of foot tapping rhythms, faultless harmonies and kaleidoscopic melodies. But to these ears the blend on O (their third release on Team Love, Conor Oberst's label) may have reached critical mass.
There's certainly something admirable about their blatant efforts to bring a smile to the listeners face through their sunshine pop. From the word go insanely catchy choruses, coupled with quirky arrangements, are the order of the day. 'Dust Me Off', sounds like Camera Obscura if they'd formed in Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory instead of some damp Glasgow bedsit. Other highlights include the raunchy riff on 'Pot Kettle Black' (think Karen O fronting the White Stripes) and the pulsating electro vibes of 'Falling Without Knowing', a welcome diversion from the sugary fare on offer elsewhere.
Unfortunately there are far too many jaunty/bouncy/sickly sweet moments for this album to be bearable in one sitting. It seems churlish to criticise a band for dealing in over-joyous pop (and certainly this writer could be accused of being a miserable git), but it all becomes too much over the course of a full album. The effect of listening to O from start to finish would be akin to eating all those selection boxes you got at Christmas in one go. However, taken one treat at a time this is a perfectly acceptable record.
Alan Morrissey
www.tillyandthewall.com
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