Thursday, 15 July 2021

Sister John - I Am By Day

 


I absolutely love what the label, Last Night From Glasgow do and their jewel in the crown are Sister John. Sister John are four multi instrumentalists formed around the songwriting of Amanda McKeown and their third album is a wonderful affair. 

I Am By Day's 10 songs are bookended by two of the finest things that you will hear all year, but the album itself falls into two categories. There is the magnificent and moody plus the great Indie Pop. Either will do, but I suspect that the Pop will interest the IDHAS following most. 

How Can I Keep It Alive? is gripping in its melancholy and reveals the non pop songs are just as interesting. Over Again is another example of how moodiness can be so beautifully hypnotic. The Sound Of You veers towards Americana without losing any of the bite. 




As an aside, The Bud is an enchanting instrumental and the repetition on What I Want reveals how effective it can be. I've often said this with Sparks songs, the repetition can be just as great as the lyrical explosions. Then the Pop here is simply overwhelming.

Strange Ideas has a wonderful violin, or is it Cello, accompaniment and I must have played the magnificent In My Place at least 50 times since I got the album. It is Indie Guitar Pop at its very best. Now about those two bookends!

I'll Be Your Life, the album opener, is all great one liners, bitter without the bitterness. Glasgow Is A Rainbow is exactly the opposite, almost anthemic without ever having to break sweat. The chorus reminds me a little of Garbage's slower songs without the unnecessary fuzz. 




The album is released on 30 July in lots of different formats and variations. You can make your choice here. I'd love to embed more for you to listen to, but the two beauties here are the only things available. All I can do is urge you to take a chance on the whole album. You won't regret it. I Am By Day has Album Of The Year potential. It is simply wonderful.


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