The Popguns are well into their fourth decade and it is always wonderful to see them again. Released through the excellent label Matinee Recordings. This is great Pop with a capital P, splendid melodic flourishes that chirp up your day.
The Brighton five piece offer up a happier version of say The Beths, more pop led and less deep than our New Zealand friends, less Indie Rock, more Indie Pop. The songs are built on hypnotic riffs with big choruses that soon have you singing along.
A big part of this is obviously the sweet voice of Wendy Pickles whose vocals vacate the pure pop displayed here, but also sound a little folky at times. However, this vocal is ideally suited the splendid songwriting strength of Simon Pickles and in particular the performance of the band.
Caesar is pure second half of the eighties in all its Jangle Pop joy and it is the jangle that hits home most, although the guitar solos and arrangements run it close. Red Cocoon is very 60s Girl Pop, you can imagine the song on a 60s kitchen sink film.
Dirty London is lyrically adept and displays much more urgency than what surrounds it and the riff just grabs you. But it is the closing Indie Rock Goddess that is the stand out. Pickles gets a little Shirley Manson. thankfully without all that up itself fuzz.
The song is much more Indie Rock and all tongue in cheek attitude. The chorus is one of the best things that you will hear all year, a little American, a little Elastica or Sleeper. It is a top notch end to a top notch album. Available as a download or CD or 7 Inch Vinyl EP, this is an essential addition to your collection.
You can listen to and buy any of the formats here. You can find out more about the band here.
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Stirling tunes from a great band
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