I'm not entirely sure what the title of Sourpatch's new LP is in reference to but possibly it's what happens to a lot bands with their second long player... It's presumably tongue in cheek as it certainly doesn't apply here (unless it's a reference to something else that's eluding me)
Here's the first song off the album, it's called 'Cynthia Ann'
'Sourpatch endorses a gender freeing, queer positive, feminist thinking, body positive, crush worthy lifestyle!' says the record insert and their music is equally ebullient, unapologetic and vital... Sourpatch are an affectionate punch on the arm followed by a cheery kick up the arse
I've been walking around with this LP in my ears, in my head, in my heart, making my heart beat beat beat faster and putting a spring in my step for the last few months... Mike from HHBTM very kindly shared a virtual copy with me, wanting to know what I thought, wanting to share something he knew I'd dig, part-I want your opinion/part-a very thoughtful pick me up... and I fell in love with it instantly (so very crush worthy)*
*if you came here for some objective critical discourse in which I frown a lot, stroke my chin and chunter on about chord sequences and, I don't know, dobly I'd stop reading now, I love this band, I love this record, I'm a fan
But as much as I may have loved this record already it wasn't until I had the physical thing to have and to hold in my hands that I really went all dewy-eyed and weak at the knees. Nothing quite prepares you for having that sleeve in your hand with the beautiful beautiful artwork by
Tae Won Yu... in these modern times, dear reader, the notion of a record as a physical thing, an artefact, is sometimes lost but it's a little like seeing a work of art up close, not in a book or on a computer screen, but stood in front of the thing, appreciating the artist's brush strokes, the actual colours of the pigment of the paint, the scale of the piece both decided by the artist and not by the size of the page or the screen... if you get me, it's just better, more complete. Mind you seeing the Mona Lisa up close is not much to write home about, it's a bit poky and there's all these people stood between you and it, taking photos and buggering off sharpish to be replaced by yet more people... but that's not the point I'm struggling to make
It's just a beautiful thing, even before you plant it on the turntable (the label on side one has a photo the band took of the big wheel in the Market Square in Nottingham when they played here for a gig we put on last year, that was rather nice to see having the actual record)
Limited to 500 copies, by the way, and selling like the proverbial hot cakes (Mike asked me to say that*) Sourpatch's second LP consists of nine songs that'll frankly knock you bandy if pop music with plenty of pep, rambunction and giddy up are your thing and, quite frankly, I'd have to wonder about you if your answer was anything other than 'yes, please!'
*He didn't but I'm guessing it surely must be and that he'd want me to
Following 'Cynthia Ann' is 'Stare at the Sun' with Rich singing (Sourpatch mix it all up, Nicole, Christine and Rich taking vocal duties on different songs, sometimes Mander drums), it's great, rocking, crunchy, you can't sit down for this one. Sourpatch really will have you up and dancing (even you, the stubborn shy wallflower), if you can call throwing yourself about all loopy with a fat grin on your face dancing... I know I do, I'm not the dance police
Not that the songs are all rocketing richocheting bounce-along freneticism... in fact, I'm doing Sourpatch a disservice because as previous songs like
'Deli Dream' and
'I Want You Either Way' prove they can do soaring imploring songs with lovelorn lyrics and pulling at your heartstrings melodies and harmonies that absolutely floor you... and 'Stagger and Fade' continues that with the soulful shrug and hardbitten wistfulness of 'Nothing Lasts' with it's switch in tempo, to the lullaby-like lament of 'What You Already Know' with it's gradual build and feedback fade... with a flip of the record to side two on 'Moved On' Nicole seems to answer the song that ends side one ('Nothing Lasts'), providing I'm hearing the lyrics right and not making too many overly neat connections of my own...
Two of the most instant hits (if you will) for me were 'Even the Score' and 'Things You Say' which nod musically to Sourpatch faves Tiger Trap and Henry's Dress, both songs have some crunchy driving bouncing bass that brought to this old campaigner's mind the mighty Bogshed... 'Things You Say' also shows off Rich's drumming, he can really drum that lad, oh my, and then some!!
'Big Sigh' is fantastic, I mean all the songs are, I'm attempting to write a considered review here, song by song, but all I really want to say is how fantastic all the songs are, I'm trying to be a proper reviewer and failing... 'Big Sigh' has got all that good good Sourpatch drumming and bass and wild guitar and Nicole's lovely lovely insistent vocal and the only thing I really want to do is get up and dance around the living room and forget the world outside exists while at the same time feeling- because Sourpatch and all those other bands I love make me feel this way- that the world does exist out there and I can face it down, that I am worth something, more than the world outside often makes me feel or tells me to feel, it's bigger and wider and deeper than just POp music or pUnk music or whatever... it's ultimately just music I love but the music anyone loves I hope makes them feel this way because otherwise they are missing out on something utterly vital and brilliant
So, yeh, Sourpatch's new LP... 500 copies doesn't seem enough, every home should have one, the world would be so much better and brighter if every home did
Sourpatch are Mander, Nicole, Christine and Rich
They are from San Jose, CA
I've pinned them to my heart, a safety pin stuck in my heart
Go buy 'Stagger and Fade'
here.