You have to hand it to Mark Swinney of In At The Deep End Records. Since he began the label he has managed to put out some great releases by a very diverse range of artists. However, the label’s fourteenth release, the debut of The Wireless Stores, is set to blow all past accomplishments out of the water. ‘Historic Sites of Scenic Beauty #1′ is the name of the EP and it has to be one of the strongest debuts for many a year.
The Wireless Stores are a three-piece outfit that are based in Nottingham. They are also lucky enough to have a very talented front man with an already strong pedigree. Paul Yeadon was a founder member of Bivouac, a band that enjoyed a decent amount of success before their move to Geffen and subsequent split. The Wireless Stores, however, are a very different musical beast. Where Bivouac was a snarling, ferocious animal, t-w-s are more like a pet cat, lazing around, and occasionally bursting into life to great effect.
It is very hard to categorise the sound of t-w-s. They veer around the rock stylings of early Feeder, with a hint of the Foo Fighters and a number of punk bands. It would be best to think of this as a good old fashioned rock album, and one that keeps your attention whether the band are in acoustic or electric mode.
From the very first listen of ‘Historic Sites Of Scenic Beauty #1′ you know you are witnessing the birth of something pretty special. The song writing of Yeadon remains consistently strong throughout the EP, and showcases a real ability for lyrics and song structure. ‘Sweet Serendipity’ kicks things off to great effect with a hail of distorted guitars and an incessant drum beat. ‘Not Going, Gone’, by complete contrast, has the band in laid back acoustic mode. It’s a simple, yet stunningly effective track. ‘Speed of Sound’ sees Yeadon talking about exactly what the title implies. How refreshing it is, to see such a broad range of subjects covered by a band. The title track is a moody and brooding instrumental, which in turn is followed by another acoustic master class; ‘Fabric’ is just the thing for a hot summers day. The EP closer, ‘Yer Drivin’ has the band reproducing the energy they showed in the first track, and is probably the pick of all the songs on offer.
With their debut EP t-w-s have produced a faultless set of six songs. It’s been a year since I’ve given a release top marks, so that should speak volumes for just how good I think this is. This hasn’t left my stereo since I first listened to it, and I sincerely hope that everyone with a passion for good music makes the effort to track this down. ‘Historic Sites Of Scenic Beauty #1′ is a stunning release and I can’t wait for more material to emerge from Mr Yeadon and co.
www.inatthedeependrecords.co.uk
Mark