I Like Trains- Sirens
I Like Trains are back and have shed their former flagrant disregard for upper and lower casing in their name which used to look like the rEallY CoOL MesSaGEs yOU usEd tO sENd on MySpACe. Their new grammatically friendly image marks a brand new era of seriousness for this romantically dark Leeds-based band. Their latest EP, "Sirens" really does continue to raise the profile of the music bursting out of that particular nook of Yorkshire at the minute, with a velvety rich collection of tunes as delectable as a fancy box of truffles.
There doesn't seem to have been much of a sidestep from the sound of old, which will please anyone who was into the Trains of old. There's still that grand pulsation of swelling post rock and a brooding atmosphere that can give you shivers. But this time everything seems to have been reduced down so that every sweeping note has a greater concentration of what drives their essence- that burning sensation of poignancy that comes from deep within the belly of the band. Like a more shadowy version of The Twilight Sad, drama has been created in vast plains of windswept sound. Title track 'Sirens' and the slow tempo of 'Flood' give the record a steeping of 80s philosophising with an astonishing depth of musicianship.
As stunning as the atmosphere of these first tracks are, it's the sentiment and drama packed so tightly into every bar of 'A Father's Son' that's most sublime. Raised up on the shoulders of a deep rumbling bass line and some glorious guitar work, this track is the warmth of daybreak and boxful of memories all in one. There's something in the melody and soar with that 80's edge that bring to mind a more downbeat version of The Church. Please, do us a favour and listen to this track.
As EPs go, you can't really wrap up more positively. With the wonderfully golden twinkle of 'A Kingdom You Deserve' still ringing in your happy ears, you also get treated to two mixes of the title track which give a dirty electronic spin and an even richer experience. This is one really tasty record to get your paws on. Should you have any leanings towards post-rock or atmospheric drama, this is one for you.