after months of listening to machine driven beats, and not really giving any of the usual love to the good people over at memphis industries, dropping this new ep into the stereo was like being given a big warm hug from an old friend.
you see, a couple of years ago, absentee released a cracking set of singles and the album schmotime, that originally i just didn’t get, but slowly the bands charms, lyrical deftness, and simple but effective arrangements, won me over.
then i saw their performance at the first end of the road festival, and realised that they were quite simply wonderful.
so, i’m chuffed to tell you that this new ep of 4 tracks is a classic case of "if it aint broke .. "
lead track, the charmingly named bitchstealer, starts off with dan michaelson growling "bring her back, bring her back, she wasn’t yours to take" giving the listener no doubts as to the direction of the song. the fact that such a painful emotional situation is backed with a horns-n-happy backing harmonies makes for a strange duality, but as listeners of the band will know, this is a classic absentee trick where such darkness is often counteracted with life affirming melodies.
by the fourth spin you begin to wonder if this is actually the ultimate evil twin of boo radleys summer anthem wake up!.
go on radio 2, i dare you to make this ‘single of the week’.
the other tracks are not quite as poptastic, i’m your man, as a far more mellow groove becomes the order of the day, soundtracking that final beer before the coma kicks in. oh, and there is a typically twisted c&w styled update of franki valli’s my eyes adored you, and closing track, that old ghost, from the bands forthcoming album, victory shorts, due out in august to sort you out,
more detail : here – – memphis industries