Sing-Sing: Sing Sing And I (Aerial Records)

After the tragic death of Lush’s drummer Chris Ackland at the height of their powers in 96, it was obvious that a band who were so close couldn’t survive something so devastating. For me it spelt the end of an era. Lush’s ethereal vocals and spine tingling melodies lit the way throughout the Shoegazing early nineties and the drab post Brit pop era later that decade. This was only to end so suddenly at a point of virtual world domination.

Emma Anderson, arguably the creative force behind Lush, subsequently spent a couple of years with her head down penning songs with Lisa O’Neill. Together they produced the splendid retro pop affair in 2001, ‘The Joy Of Sing-Sing’, but as infectiously catchy as it was, the shelf life of such a style was always going to be limited and they new that the follow up would have to be decidedly edgier.

Five years on and Sing-Sing are ready to face the world once more with what has proved to be an extraordinary set of songs. The pure unbridled pop undertones are sill firmly in place and as jaunty as ever, but they don’t just leave it there. Taking a leaf out of the books of  Dear Eskimo and The Shortwave Set, the duo have multi layered Moog and decks to produce disjointed production contrasting those fluid pop moments. This is more noticeable on the tracks ‘Mr Kadali’, about an African sex therapist and the sliding 60’s inspired violin sampled, ‘Come Sing Me A Song’. There are clear coming of age delicate moments too, ‘A Kind Of Love’ documents the confusion of a relationship that has lost its way, and The choral back drop to the beautifully reflective, ‘The Time Has Come’ that straddles Arcade Fire with The Polyphonic Spree as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

‘Sing-Sing and I’ is more than a triumph, it’s an affirmation of talent for a music industry to witness and marvel at. For although criminally, Sing-Sing won’t become NME stars or repeatedly break new records for obscene amounts of shifted units as certain young upstarts can boast, they are the real hero’s in this ever fickle fame game. There is more truth, soul bared aching and innovation in this band than anything currently available on ‘Myspace’. But before I continue on my soap box, do us all a favour and buy a copy.

9/10

James Heward