There's More To Oxford Than Radiohead
Contrary to urban legend, there is actually more to the Oxford music scene then Radiohead and as if to prove this very point Fell City Girl have stepped up to the challenge. Crafted around a main frame of brooding intensity, Fell City Girl deliver the desperately delicate passion of Jeff Buckley with a slight hint of Muses' post rock pop, creating songs that careen gracefully from whispered intimacy to epically wailing crescendos effortlessly and perfectly.
'February Snow' tenderly opens with the restrained whispers of singer Phil McMinn that gently build alongside guitars before both soar to epic proportions. Intensely brooding, 'February Stars' sees McMinn's unpolished naturalness create a sound that is both genuinely heartfelt and uncompromisingly frank as his voice compassionately admits how "I've lost friends I said I'll keep/ I know it's sad but that's the way it is" whilst a melodic ebb builds gracefully to a upsurge of vocals and guitars that oddly instil an uplifting edge to the track. With a greater sense of urgency, B side 'These Are The Heart Attacks' veers more towards the quartets Muse influences as the straightforward energy and vibrancy of the track merges with wailing vocals and insistent drum beats, showing just why Fell City Girl are a band that need to be recognised for more then simply sharing the same home town as some band little called Radiohead.