I received a copy of Lots of Dots through
the post the other day. It’s the new (long) player from The Pale Blue Dots.
Actually it’s the first long player from The Pale Blue Dots. It was good to see
that the thinking, the talking and writing has finally paid off. I was
beginning to doubt whether any of this would ever surface and run its rings
around the world.
If you don’t know already – because these
things get around town – by word of mouth, internet ravings and rumours and
releases – The Pale Blue Dots are Huw ‘Bunf’ Bunford and Richard Chester.
Richard is one of my best friends – is my best friend. Good friends. We’ve
spent some real good times together and I’ve always appreciated his musical
ear(s). Bunf was known to me through the Furries – and that pretty much makes
him a musical genius – there hasn’t been a band like the Super Furry Animals
before or after. They captured that freeing of sound the 90s let in – briefly
combining rock and roll with psych and soul all topped with chemical beats and
treats.
It was Welsh independence writ large for
the masses with guitars and furry suits. And here it is again - without the
suits but just as experimental.
As you know – I have had access to part of
The Pale Blue Dots for some time and have been raving and raging about them for
two years now. Ever since Richard sent me Additional (which is yet to see the
light of day) a tune all awash with Jeff Lyne, flourishes and strings I have
felt this band had a finger somewhere on the pulse of rock n roll (that's the
widest definition of rock n roll - you could just call it music) So where to begin?
I should do some sort of plodding Mojo review – two paragraphs and a press
release. Give four stars and bang it up. But I think it deserves a little more
praise than that – but then I am a bias fucker.
This is not an extension of the Super Furry
Animals. It isn’t even a solo project – it’s a bit more complicated and I think
this first long player reveals it. Its textures and hooks and riffs and rolls
coupled with openness and playfulness. It’s the pleasure of listening. It’s clear that there is an interaction
between the two worlds – Bunf’s is different to Richard’s but that shared
connection – that understanding is evident in the straight pop boogie of
Devastation through to the wonderfully evocative Nebraska.
You can’t quite put your finger on it. It
isn’t conceptual – yet there’s a thread running through it. We have references
to West Coast psychedelia (Slow Reaction), through soundscapes and Asian
melancholia mixed with the funky drummer (Tokyo Hotel Silence or Silent Tokyo
Hotel – which had my daughter smiling -
she just loved the idea that the two pieces were essential the same with
muddled words) coupled with ramalama Bolan/ Bowie infused boogaloo
(Devastation) eighties production and early synth experimentation (Look into my
Eyes) to the wild plains and haunting
twangs of the prairie as dusk falls (Nebraska).
And it all works together. From start to
finish it evolves and lingers – causually working its way from the short term
memory to the long term.
Its an experiment in getting inside your
head.
Guitars are distorted and loud, it's full
of clangs and chimes - then things are
suddenly strummed and simple – they are sounds in themselves. And you can see
that both of these fellas love sound. You can see that they 'get' sound. They
get down to 'sound'. (The Sound of the Crowd)
I guess we get a glimpse of what’s inside
their heads. It’s quite dark at times. You might keep it upbeat but No
Motivation references that sinking slide into busily doing nothing but
sleeping. Put that with Slow Reaction – which from its opening piano riff
lodges itself firmly in your brain and you’ve got a band struggling to
articulate and do.
Except it isn’t. Because here’s an album full of potential pop
hits. Produced by Cian at the Strangetown Studios - there's a lovely space and
groove to it all. I mean that I really do. As I said previously these are older
fellas writing music for the masses.
There’s a touch of Nilsson, of Alex ‘Skip’ Spence, Jeff Lyne (and his
dark eyes) Spector and early electro albums and of course if you really want to
you'll hear a nod to the Furries. Bound to - really. Oh and Daf is playing drums.
It's a wide-ranging album and whilst the
focus will be on Bunf - this is double labour of love - for both members. It
surprises and asks for a response. When I first heard Reach for the Keys – I
didn’t get it. It seemed so overblown and vibrating with empty halls and the
echoes of children’s voices – with a rolling nursery rhythm beat. But as with
all these tunes they have legs – they have feet – they grow. And it's haunting
opening - sort of reminiscent of the Tales of the Unexpected - Roald Dhal
making earworm pop - soon lodges itself in your brain. Bunf's simply delivery coupled
with found sounds and talk - after a few listens I was happily singing along.
Aquarium could be the missing link between the
last SFA album and these Pale Blue Dots. Creeping closer now it gives you the
creeps. Bunf's vibrato is quite extraordinary. There's a fragility amidst the
lush orchestration - as Bunf dazzles his partner with his 'Admit One Extra'
pass and get's her in for 'free now baby'. Meanwhile Richard's layering the
strings like the bastard son of Barry. Super continents collide my friend.
And what a great collision this is. It's
good to have Richard and Bunf together.
You know I was worried about Lots of Dots dark
unnerving cover – a little girl slaughtered as a lamb sits by her side. I mean
what should I be reading into that? Or it could just be a broken ornament –
found in any home across the land and tipped over through excitement and
stupidity. You know it’s just a cover -
but there's an undercurrent to it - a subtext. Something which rings out on
this (way to short) long player - take Look in to my Eyes - it's all in a look.
Concentrate. Something's lurking in this song - something's lurking in this album
and I like it.
You know we might miss the Super Furry
Animals and I’m not holding my breath for a reunion – although it would be great.
But let’s give this credit.
Let’s give them all credit.
They can all write fucking quality tunes -
Gruf, Cian, Daf, Guto and Bunf – with each other - apart - or here with Richard
Chester.
I hope this release is the start of
something new. I know there are more songs - lots more dots - absolute crackers - but as
first releases go - every tune is great in its own right. And if me and my kids are singing these songs
in the car - then I know you will be too.
They're having a blast. So let's join in.
Lots of Dots is released on StrangetownRecords on November 3rd.
The Pale Blue Dots are in session on Monday
on Marc Riley's show from 7.00pm
You can listen to The Pale Blue Dots here.
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