If a record has Louis Philippe's name on it, then that record is worth picking up. The French-born, London-housed musician has been associated with the legendary él Records but, of course, his legacy extends beyond that imprint. We can hear his influence in works by The Divine Comedy and High Llamas, among others. Thankfully, he's still making music, these days with his band The Night Mail. The new record, out now, is called The Road to the Sea and it's on Tapete Records.
The band features the ever-busy Robert Rotifer and Ian Button (Swansea Sound), as well as Andy Lewis and Danny Manners. The players embellish Philippe's breezy compositions, and give the material hue and shade. Opener "The Road to Somewhere" is lovely, Philippe's warm vocals gently rubbing up against a slide guitar, and strings and backing vocals which suggest a Sean O'Hagan composition. "Where Did We Go Wrong" is Sixties pop updated, even as the more arch "Pictures of Anna" imagines chamber pop for the TikTok age. More than ever, Philippe inhabits his own Momus-like world, where multiple styles converge around a kind of decidedly-but-wonderfully out-of-date style of indie. "All at Sea", a highlight here, is not quite as ornamented as other numbers, and the direct appeal of this selection's big, bright hook is obvious. Still, "Watching Your Sun Go Down", a truly gorgeous piece of work, reminds again just how strong the music of Louis Philippe can be, even as he clearly aims for territory that Van Dyke Parks already claimed as his own. It's an ambitious cut, but the melody is so damn beautiful that even Mr. Parks would forgive the intrusion.
The music of Louis Philippe remains decidedly at odds with indie now, just the same as 25 years ago or more. There's something resolutely stubborn about Philippe, how he's trying to craft the perfect pop song, and nearly reaching that goal with each album. What gives this music such power is the sense of melody. While a couple of these tracks seem like they'd have been better stripped back a bit, everything here mines a vein of pop that I like very much. And while some of the influences on Philippe remain very obvious still, he's such a master of this form that any criticism at all, no matter how minor, feels cruel. Louis Philippe's world is narrow, in a sense, but he's there making his music and crafting, like a toy-maker in the old days, something that when gifted to the world will bring only joy.
The Road to the Sea by Louis Philippe and The Night Mail is out tomorrow via Tapete Records.
[Photo: Ruth Tidmarsh]