The Wave Pictures - Instant Coffee Baby
Indie three-piece, The Wave Pictures, are about to blow all UK shores open with their album ‘Instant Coffee Baby’. You have probably never heard of these guys, but they shouldn’t be considered a “new band” as they have been playing together for about a decade.
The Wave Pictures combine a variety of sounds with in their songs, from guitars, drums, stings, brass to percussion and simple hands claps. This may sound fascinating, but it’s simple and back to the basic elements that create something so enjoyable. For much of the time, listening to this release can be visualised as if the band are playing for a venue of around twenty people. ‘Red Wine Teeth’ and ‘I Remembered’ with the strumming guitars, ballad elements and percussion are examples of this.
Its great to see the guys can take on ballads as well as the more upbeat numbers. They may sound slightly rhythmically challenged at times, but overall they make some pretty decent indie pop songs. When the album first began and ‘Leave The Scene Behind’ started, the static built up to an increase in volume, which actually made me cringe, dreading what was about to explode and I reached for the volume. But, this track was a pleasant surprise as it is an indie number. As the album continues, each track is in its own element. There is the electric ‘We Come Alive’ in which the bass guitar adds a little rhythm, the jazzy ‘Avocado Baby’ with images of walking through the park floating through your head, the semi-acoustic ‘Kiss Me’ which gathers momentum to an electric rhythm, but still sounds rather experimental and rough around the edges, and lastly the gentle jumpy beat of the title track.
The most fascinating thing about this band and their music is the lyrical content they are able to put together. At times the lyrics flow out of pace with the rest of the track, but they still have meaning and flow incredibly well. Their lyrics are cleverly created, occasionally witty but without being annoying, they flow with imagery, hilarious situations and emotional trials. ‘I Love You Like A Madman’ includes the lines “I’ll buy you bras instead of picked eggs/chocolate instead of chutney/good red wine instead of bad red wine/next time I remember your birthday”. Now if this was real life instead of a song you can imagine a female response. ‘Strange Fruit or David’ with the lines “a sculpture is a sculpture, marmalade is marmalade, and a sculpture of marmalade is a sculpture but it isn’t marmalade” is a bit of a tongue twister with plenty of laughs and ‘Cassius Clay’ with “well I feel like a porcupine, sleeping on a waterbed” is unbelievable.
To go along with the hilariously funny lyrics are plain and simple vocals. The harmonies of ‘Just Like A Drummer’ are great to see, as is the female vocal contribution on ‘January and December’ and the harmonies singing “lalala’s” on ‘Friday Night In Loughborough’ work in well and effectively.
This album is an amusing revelation and one you have to listen to appreciate the full extent of the bands talent.