After the Difficult Second Album, the Critically Acclaimed Third? We live in hope.
Launched at our Oxford gig on 1 March 2024, it’s entitled Memoryland. Once again, just a measly £10 UK, including postage. Just go to the Contact page and send us a message. You will hear back from us within 24 hours telling you how to obtain it. You can pay by PayPal, cheque (retro), cash (super-retro) or bank transfer.
Feedback from listeners
“As always we were impressed with the new One for the Wall CD. Me as a country picker (three chords and one minor chord on Sundays) cannot comprehend how anyone can come up with such complicated melodies and arrangements. Impressive to say the least.”
“Wasting Our Time – Good tune, interesting lyrics.
Sussex Garden – Strong melody, typically unpredictable progressions.
Funny Afternoon – Different feel – brush drums feel jazzy. This is a really good song!
The Consolation of The Stars – Maybe the best song on the album. Great vocal.
Who Will Remember Us? – Unusual and atmospheric. Not a bad song to close the album.”
“Nice lead guitar work – particularly on I Hope I Shall Arrive Soon, Weird, Sussex Garden, The Stories and The Songs. I like the sax on the first song. More synthesiser additions than I’ve noticed on previous albums. Good enhancements to the overall sound. I keep noticing wry, insightful, and touching lyrics gleaned from looking at life when closer to the end than the beginning.”
“Favourite song: Funny Afternoon – I like mood/tone, balance of vocals/instrumentals (less frantic), modulation (‘nowhere feels like home’) – we understand musically how we’ve got there.”
“I have been enjoying listening to your CDs. It is great being able to read the words while listening to the songs. I think if I had to categorise your music I would say it is English Romanticism. My favourites are I Hope I Shall Arrive Soon and Weird. I hope your music can be heard by a wide audience. It certainly deserves it.”
Our own review notes
1. I Hope I Shall Arrive Soon
A gentle and reflective opening builds to a self-indulgent sax and guitar led coda à la Fleetwood Mac. Catchy, with relatively few chords.
2. Happy Planet
And who would not concur with the sentiment that there must be a better planet out there than this one… wherever and whenever it may be? A hint of Indy Brit Pop in the ensemble playing.
3. The Loneliest Heart
Teenage Love Song no. 1: unconsummated (needless to say.) Misty-eyed and nostalgic, even for this gang of pensioners.
4. Memoryland
The Fab Four having been name-checked in TLH, The Turtles now get a look-in. A tear-jerker that ends on a sombre tritone: Diabolus in Musica.
5. Weird
It definitely is. But we should be used to that by now.
6. Sussex Garden
A Laurel Canyon love-in. As for those original posh hippies, the Bloomsburys, does the art justify the crime? It certainly does not.
7. Monkeys in My Veins
Teenage Love Song no. 2: consummation is no longer out of the question. I want to hold your… whatever’s on offer. NB This is not about the intravenous drug-taking, see above.
8. Funny Afternoon
A sparse and fragile performance. Only the punters are laughing in this smoky night-club chanson.
9. The Stories and The Songs
Unexpected foray into 1970s hard rock, with Chris and Colin, in particular, giving it some welly.
10. The Consolation of The Stars
Jo, in androgynous mezzo mode, tells a tale of teenage triumph over geekiness.
11. Wasting Our Time
All too true, but whatever… The band swing and bounce along in their wistful dotage.
12. Who Will Remember Us?
“We’re all doomed, Captain Mainwaring”. Send them on their away feeling suicidal.
One for the Wall 