These underdogs are a safe bet, Turin Brakes back with an angelic long-player
You can't keep an underdog down! Turin Brakes have come back to us ith 'JackInABox', an adventure through subtle landscapes of sweet swinging sun and angelic carefree ambience... But hey 'Can't Buy The Sun' starts us off with loveliness flowing out of it like wine, slide guitar sliding away and lushness like you never knew it! It's a cooling song, comes at ya like air conditioning in an Antigun beach shack.
'Forever' croons away in the background, resting your head therapeutically, complicated guitar work so subtle in the mix of things it merges into a conglomerate of feeling and mood. Good song, followed by the more up-tempo 'Asleep With The Fireflies', so damn relaxing and catchy as it rockets into a great Toploader-stylee chorus. Nice nice. Turin Brakes, definitely the ample band for the beach...
'Fishing For A Dream' starts off like Nick Drake with it's picked chords, only can you tell it apart when those very distinct vocals come in, it then transcends into moments alike to Blur. It's an all-in-one and one of the best songs on the whole record without a shadow of a doubt, jolly fabulous. 'Road To Nowhere', (not a cover of the Talking Heads) has elements of Bob Dylan woven into the song-writing, a smooth little bongo session going on for percussion and some well-crafted lyricism, fantabydooby.
And this album carries on in much the same vein, more acoustic unwindings, sickly-sweet vocally, but all together sounding gorgeous and sumptuous when the mood and lighting's right! They can't buy the sunshine but Turin Brakes can turn it on, deck-chair-in-the-garden-on-a-hot-day stuff this is.
'Last Clown' is a cool number, with sections resembling the sound of The Beautiful South, it comes complete with a sexy jam tacked onto the end, some funky moogie synth bits and bigger drums, a groovy little interlude that breaks up the music just as it begins to border on monotony. It leaves you in the mood for the lovely 'Above The Clouds' afterwards. A definite highlight standout track.
'Then it's on to the title track and what a stonker! 'JackInABox' is great, real top-notch sound there fellas! Awesome, damn awesome. A good, strong album this but occasionally over-lush, though should the mood take you this'll satisfy like cheese on toast, hits the spot, spot on. Otherwise, this pretty little ditty'll chirp along in the background like a contended happy little frog (not a crazy one!) Good job from the silky smooth duo. Recommended.