The Chorley-based outfit British Birds offer up pop cleverness on their new record. It's a release full of a variety of styles, from jangle-pop to art rock, but it's all good. Murmurate, Oscillate is nothing if not stubbornly tough to describe. That's a good thing.
While the title cut may recall early XTC for some, the edgier "Lie Down With Dogs Stand Up with Fleas" has more of a punk flavor. The pointed "Polka Dot Eyes" is a neat mix of smart lyrics and sharp hooks. "Stuck in a Room" is quite lovely and nearly sounds like Beat Happening in a weird way, while "Just Like Them" is more ramshackle in its appeal.
The alternating male/female vocals keep the music on this British Birds record interesting. At its best, Murmurate, Oscillate works like a Swansea Sound album. While Bobby and Emma don't have the indie legacy of any of the players in that band, they do have a good sense of how to make fresh stuff on their own terms. Proof that DIY pop can be wildly inventive and fun, this British Birds album is highly recommended.
Murmurate, Oscillate by British Birds is out this week on Skep Wax.
[Photo: Skep Wax]