Sunbathe the rest of summer away with this as your soundtrack
David Mead's new album 'Tangerine' is a slice of hearty pop, served with the sweet and subtle sensibility that marks a good singer-songwriter. Brad Jones, who was responsible for Josh Rouse's blinding 'Subtitulo', quite rightly produces it, and there are similarities here between the two, the thoughtful attention to paid to the summery sounds of the instruments and the feel-good vibe that swamps the whole opus.
Mead's skill at crafting vocal melodies is so that as soon as you've heard the vocal line of one of his songs it's in your head and not leaving in any hurry. He's got an instantly recognisable tunefulness about him, numbers like 'Chatterbox' and 'The Trouble With Henry' being songs that you won't be forgetting, and that you'll quite gladly hear over and over again.
His music's moved into a sound that is very easy to listen to, whilst being extremely engaging, that's very mainstream and appealing, but not compromised in any way, and it's a good turn. 'Reminded #1' is a beautiful acapella piece with notes that pierce you to the bone in the same way Nerina Pallot's 'Everybody's Gone To War' really grips you as it leads up to the chorus. 'Hallelujah, I Was Wrong' is a great bopping hit with a chirpy chorus that's reminiscent of Rouse's 'Givin' It Up For Good', and 'Suddenly, A Summer Night' is another real highlight.
'Making It Up Again' becomes gorgeous as it hops into a wandering bassline and squiggling electric piano movement, a jazz break that excites the same way that 'We Want Young Blood' by Radiohead excites when it picks up the pace, but in a completely different manner... The real highlight of the record is the song 'Hunting Season', if you want to know what the music's all about use this song for sampling David Mead's 'Tangerine', it's the epitome of the album.
An album that is full of the fruits of summer, get a gin and tonic on the go, a Harvey Wallbanger or a lemon cordial, pull up a deck chair in the garden, slip this on and catch some rays. It's nice as nice, from start to finish it works tremendously. A good record for a good mood.