Mothboxer - Timelines

 

There may be a time that I run out of things to say about Dave Ody's Mothboxer. In the review of Breathe, the last album, I jokingly referred to Mothboxer being one of our Teacher's Pet. But it is down to the quality and progression. Every album builds on the last and any appearances here are more than worthy.

We started the Best 100 Albums, two years in with 2018 and every Mothboxer album released since then has appeared in the 100. There isn't a loyalty card, every offering since then has been consistently Top Notch and even bands that I continue to love forever can't match that.

Ody has always had an ability to write and perform such melodic catchy songs whilst crossing genres at will. Essentially Pop Rock, Mothboxer tread Power Pop, Psych Pop, even a little Prog and Alt Rock, but everything is so damn toe tapping.

Timelines feels like his poppiest so far, if anything more than a little 80s Pop Rock. Having said that, probably the best song is all 60s Mellotron riddled. That being the Beatles 68 Psych Pop of All Over The World.

No Warning, No Sign is the trademark 70s Pop Rock that Mothboxer specialise in. However what starts off as a sort of Gerry Rafferty backed by Liverpool Express breaks out into a cross between Neo Prog and Space Rock, total melody across all parts..

Sound Of Nothing even goes full on Melodic Modern Prog with its hypnotic riff. This Song is almost happy clappy, a stripped down let's do the show right here sort of thing. Space in-between is almost Lounge Pop. 

Mothboxer are best when it gets Epic and I don't think Ody has ever been more epic than on the approaching 7 minutes closer The Wrong Sky. It even adds a big Sci Fi Soundscape ending. Ody is a wonderful guitarist and part way through, I thought "ooh there's not a lot of Guitar here" and it is like I was overheard as the album from then on is Guitar Heaven.

There is a loose concept theme to Timelines and it's funny that I was thinking of ELO's Time as I listened. It doesn't have that level Pop or the treated vocal nonsense, but it has a slightly similar 80s style big production. Absolutely Splendid! Mothboxer may finally get the recognition that is deserved.

You can listen to and buy the album here.

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