Tiny Dancers - Free School Milk

Parlophone

There is something quite peculiar about Tiny Dancers, emotionally and musically they are a band that has stepped out of time. For a start they’re unapologetically upbeat, which in 2007 is most irregular and, what’s more, while the majority of their contemporaries draw upon the monochrome guitar stylings of the eighties, they’re looking to the lysergic sounds of the sixties and California dreaming of the seventies for inspiration. This distinctiveness is their greatest asset, for while ‘Free School Milk’ has some gorgeous moments, overall there is a sense of disjointedness, of musicians reading off different song sheets. Too often songs suggest greatness before dissipating into disappointment, the snatches of melody evident on ’20 To 9’ and ‘Moonsong #2’ never quite amounting to anything meaningful. Surely it’s only right to expect a greater sense of cohesion in a record produced by the legendary John Leckie (Stone Roses, Radiohead, Muse). Regardless, there is no doubting the enthusiasm, and, in David Kay, Tiny Dancers have a most engaging vocalist. If only they could harness that enthusiasm and put it to good use, fashioning hook-laden loveliness of the quality of ‘Baby Love’. Then Tiny Dancers would really be worth bigging up.

Words_Francis Jones

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DOWNLOAD: ‘Baby Love’, ‘Ashes And Diamonds’, ‘Hannah We Know’
FOR FANS OF: The Magic Numbers, The Thrills, Delays

Issue #52 - Very Bro-some

Featuring Panama Kings, ASIWYFA, an investigation into DIY touring, details of what over 25 of the finest NI bands are up to in 2009 and much more.