This new, young band from Great Britain shows a lot of potential. Though their debut CD It's All Gone Very Orange is a bit rough, they have a solid sound that will please the buyer through repeated listenings. This is a four-piece band -- Nicola "Nic" O'Brien and Sam Hargreaves trade off as lead vocalist, Sam is on lead guitar, Matthew "Maff" Gaylard is on bass, and Ray Driscoll plays drums -- which results in a full sound.
Nic's little girl soprano lends an ethereal quality to the layered guitar sound, and she is often more than a little reminiscent of Sixpence None the Richer's Leigh Nash, which is not at all surprising, since If Only lists Sixpence among their prominent influences. Sam's lead vocals provide a pleasant counterpart to Nic's; both have passable if not outstanding vocal abilities, though it's easy to tell that they're a young group.
The songs on the CD have a refreshing variation of tempos, ranging from slow ballads to faster rock beats. The only song I find problematic is "Bitter Tears," in which the lyrics are poorly matched to the music at the beginning of the song:
Anguish in the silence
My cry for no more violence
Death's sweet spite seems so exciting
I've lost love it seems so inviting.
Throughout the song, the music consists of a single acoustic guitar and Nic's plaintive voice. This works well toward the end of the song, when the singer reveals the hope that she feels after her "bitter tears":
Then I met Him in the land
The tears in His eyes, the holes through His hands
I touch His heart, I'm on my knees as
He smiles at me and He whispers:
"Child where are you now lost in the darkness
Where are you now
Alone but full of tears
I'm the King to release your fears
I'm the King.
Perhaps the song could be revised to sound a bit darker at the beginning, so the contrast between depression and hope would be better highlighted.
My favorite song on the CD is "Walking in the Clouds." Nic's voice is at its loveliest here, and the song manages sweetness without being cloying or insincere.
All in all, this is a nice, though not truly great, album. If you have doubts as to whether this is a CD you should buy, consider waiting for their next effort. Though this album has its flaws, there is enough raw talent in the band that they have made my list of bands to watch out for. I have a feeling that once they've polished their delivery a bit, you'll be hearing much more about them. And if you buy It's All Gone Very Orange, you can say you knew 'em when.
3 tocks
