The Sails

The Byrds in the 60's. Big Star in the 70's. R.E.M. in the 80's. Teenage Fanclub in the 90's. Could The Sails be the proper purveyors of jangle-pop for the new millenium? Judging by the new self-titled release by the London, U.K. based band, this could be more than a small possibility.

To single out only one or two songs on this CD would be next to impossible. Opening track "See Myself" begins with, what I would call, a 12-string salute to The Byrds' early Dylan covers. It has a very "Mr. Tambourine Man", "My Back Pages" type of feel to it. Mild experimentation can be found in "Wonderland" with what sounds like a bit of a flute (although it may simply be a keyboard posing as a flute) buried behind further McGuinn-ish strumming. Than there's the slightly Mr. Roboto-ish opening to the song "Chocolate" (albeit far less cheesy). I also enjoy the Apples In Stereo psychedelia of "Firebell Alley", complete with the old 'backwards vocal trick' whcih suckers me in everytime! Yes, they may wear their influences securely on their sleeves, but they're just so stinking good at it. These are perfect pop songs. Their debut plays like a greatest hits package, complete with album closer "Be Everything", which an excellent conclusion, reminiscent to Big Star's "I'm In Love With A Girl" which appropriately closed their masterpiece "Radio City". This is the template for what I would call a "feel-good-album."

Downloads:
See Myself
Chocolate

Purchase their self-titled debut here.
The Sails Myspace page