Of the bands on the imprint that used to be a home to The Delgados, Admiral Fallow have a slightly more accessible sound. First of the Birds, the group's latest on Chemikal Underground, is full of robust indie, not too dissimilar to stuff from Elbow, actually. It's indie which places a premium on heartful material which also maintains an obvious tunefulness.
"Living for You" made me think of Badly Drawn Boy and Elliott Smith, while the more uptempo "Avalanche" was really invigorating. There are some sonic similarities (in a general sense) to material from The Delgados and even Emma Pollock on her solo records, but Admiral Fallow are mapping out somewhat unique territory here compared to those label peers. "Headstrong" sounds like a hit to me, and while I know that Sam Fender has got UK radio locked up, by any rights this tune and others from Admiral Fallow would sound nice following those cuts. Elsewhere, the twang of "Daydreaming (Why Any of This?)" suggests Americana transported to Scotland, with a certain rustic heft to this number that gives it a slight Richard Thompson-y vibe (like his more best Eighties and Nineties major label records).
The players here -- Louis Abbott (vocals, guitars, keyboards, programming, percussion), Kevin Brolly (keyboards, clarinet), Phil Hague (drums, percussion), Sarah Hayes (vocals, keyboards, flute) and Joe Rattray (bass, programming) -- give this a liveliness that makes even the rare ballad wildly engaging. Kudos too to Paul Savage (The Delgados) who recorded the record, giving it a rich, warm sound. The best material here maintains a kind of mid-tempo energy, where an eventual swell or burst of a hook will lift the compositions to the next level. Feast of the Birds is very highly recommended.
Feast of the Birds by Admiral Fallow is out now via Chemikal Underground
[Photo: Chemikal Underground]