Like most people, I first came across John, Shelly and the Creatures through the TV ad for Discover Northern Ireland, which features their track Long May You Reign. But while I loved that track, it was a long while before I got around to soaking in the other offerings from their debut album, Dinosaur. This Belfast band are far more than pleasant background music to sell tourism.
From the opening Blinded and Cross, we are introduced to some of the greatest vocals I’ve heard in recent times. Beauriful and soaring, lead singer Walter (just one name, much like Madonna) elevates the soft rock to shiver inducing heights at times.
The album doesn’t quite flow as you might expect. It doesn’t have a slow build to a crecendo - it more zigs and zags through the bands influences, Elliot Smith, Bowie, The Kinks, Belle and Sebastian, even Tom Waits. The lack of momentum doesn’t take from it though as each track is a solid treat in itself, though Fools does feel out of place on the album.
Sunny Side Street, Cold War and Sight of your Chest are my type of music, but the more anthemic tunes such as Long May You Reign and the new single Killers are what will draw in the bigger audience for this incredible Irish band.
Catch JS&C on Tubridy (RTE Radio 1) in the morning when they will play a couple of tracks including, presumably, their new single, Killers. Or if you want to hear them right now, here’s the band on The Late Late Show performing their hit Long May You Reign:
For more info on the band, have a gander at their website, Facebook or MySpace pages.
nice one Darren, I actually love Fools. );op
but I love em all so totally biased.