South
You Are Here
Bluhammock Music
By Mike Randall
British trio South have always had a gift for melody and constructing space-y indie-pop somewhere between the Stone Roses and Radiohead. They’ve also had a pension for covering those melodies with layers upon layers of electronics and keyboards in ways that didn’t necessarily detract from the music, but as we learn from their latest release, You Are Here, it masked what they were really good at. Don’t get me wrong, South’s first two records were gloriously hypnotic, but many of their more “produced” songs fell flat on stage, as there was only so much sound three guys could make. The heightened pop sensibility that began to shine on 2006’s Adventures in the Underground Journey to the Stars is brought to the forefront here, as they’ve realized they can achieve that same dreaminess naturally by shedding some of the layers.
South have grown up, but they don’t come right out and say it – it’s more like a show, don’t tell philosophy. The opening few bars of “Wasted” find a heavy siren-like keyboard drone seemingly warning the listener of impending doom. It’s probably the most typical “space rock” on the album, but that darkness is reversed once as the verse kicks in as frontman Joel Cadbury sings that he’s “tired of getting wasted.” Then it’s indie pop gem after indie pop gem until the album’s closer, “Zither Song,” a cerebral and triumphant finale (excluding the hidden track) from a band that sounds like they know they’ve found their identity.
You Are Here is clearly a record from a band that has hit maturity – one that’s comfortable with who they are and what they’ve done, but not one that’s complacent. The soul is a major theme, from seeking balance on “Lonely Highs” (“Chasing all my fears…get to know what’s real”) to the sneaking out the back door, sobriety seeking, “Wasted.” There’s even a track called “Soul Receivers,” with a loud-soft dynamic that transforms to some of the heaviest sounding guitars South have ever used. Still, they manage to sound more at peace with themselves and less brooding than ever but no less trance-worthy. There’s a hush, serene vibe on “The Creeping,” an intricately picked acoustic guitar ditty that’s fits right alongside South’s trippier moments, as does the gorgeous piano ballad, “Every Light Has Blown.” That brighter mood is evident on cuts like “Opened Up,” a perfect pop song of light acoustic guitar and cheerful piano, with the line, “Give yourself a message/pick your face up from the floor.” Most notably is the bouncy, “The Pain,” featuring an angular riff straight out of Franz Ferdinand’s playbook, it’s destined to become an indie rock radio fixture very soon.
You can’t fault a band as talented on as many instruments as South for messing around in the studio to make their sound as lush and cerebral as possible, but they need to be credited for sounding even better when that curtain has been pulled to the side. Of all the bands cast in the wide wake of Radiohead, South has been among the most consistent in trying new things and still managing to deliver great records that don’t sound like they’re copying anyone. Now that they seem to have finally hit their true stride, it’s likely to be South counted among the imitated.
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