Artist: ist
Album: Toothpick Bridge
Label: Monkeybasket Records
Released: Out Now
Reviewed by: Andrew Bailey
ist are a band hailing from Leicestershire, but the influences are many and vaired across this intriguing album.
I’d hate to pigeon-hole this album by mentioning genre’s, so I won’t ! Suffice to say, whatever your taste in music, you’ll find something to delight you here. The opener ‘The Boy’s not right’ is a classic pop song which could have been written in any of the last four decades.
Pep Talk, the lead single from the collection is a jaunty affair despite it’s refrain of “it’s just a matter or time before you checkout”. From here, the style refuses to settle down, and every new track provides a different feel.
Flavours of country creep in with the pedal steel on Headache, Rebecca could be an Elvis Costello outtake from the late seventies, Would you buy a bible from this man ? moves us into classic rock territory and reminded me of Animals era Floyd.
But none of this is derivative, whilst influences are clearly heard throughout the songs, the band make the sounds their own throughout and the tracks hang together well. Kenton Hall the main writer is inventive and delivers great vocal performances throughout. The rest of the band deliver a tight confident sound which never fails to impress.
The album continues with more varied tracks, Remington Steele and This must be the desert the highlights, and winds up with the Snow Patrol-esq “She clears her throat” a great closer.
Overall, a fanastic album with 14 tracks and no fillers - recommended.
(8/10)
For more ist visit Myspace
Download the new single ‘Pep Talk’ now from Amazon
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