The Sunchymes - Emily Layne

The Sunchymes strike again! New track from Northampton's sunshine popsters!

Always good to have new music from HD faves The Sunchymes. While the title may strike you as a mash up of two of Syd Barrett's finest tracks the music owes more to Brian Wilson. Full of melodic twists, harmonies, neat guitar solo and that quirky chorus. It's a ray of sunshine for a cold February day. Yes I guess you could say I like it!

The Sunchymes is the brainchild of Aaron Hemmington, a Northampton-based music maker. 'Emily Layne' is the latest creation in an ever-growing catalogue of breezy yet intelligent, highly catchy psychedelic pop. You'll be pleased to know this is just the tip of a very cool iceberg (haha!), head over to The Sunchymes Bandcamp page to check out plenty of other great tunes. You'll be glad you did. Happy listening peeps!

The Paperweight Array - Greek Theatre Show EP

If psych-tinged British guitar bands are your thing (and why wouldn't they be?) we have a great recommendation for you. The Paperweight Array are a Northampton-based trio who've just released Greek Theatre Show, their third EP, via Bandcamp. We've written about them before having enjoyed their debut EP Transmissions From A Distant Star. The follow up Kaleidoscope Of Antiquities was also on our radar but somehow slipped through the net when it came top writing about it. (Must have been a busy time work-wise, that's what usually stops me posting more!)

Anyhow their latest is well worth a listen. The opening track 'The Mountain' is reminiscent of Ride at their floppy-haired best, a mix of irresistible rhythms and spiky guitars. The title track 'Greek theatre Show' follows with more of a mid-'60s folk-rock feel. Lyrically it explores the volatile minefield of fractured friendships before leading into an extended coda of modal guitar arabesques.

They save the best for last however - 'Reflections (On A Western Trail)' has a Seahorses-meets-Big Star vibe, seemingly simple but actually quite complex chords and melody and ends in an extended guitar solo that any aspiring axe-god would be proud of. All of the band's releases are available via Bandcamp so go check them out. Here's hoping a long-player will materialise sometime soon.

Click here for The Paperweight Array on Twitter.

Click here for The Paperweight Array on Facebook.

The Paperweight Array - Transmisssions From A Distant Star EP

One of the more enticing releases to have come to my attention recently, this time via the magic portal that is Twitter, is the debut release by Northampton/London-based trio called The Paperweight Array. Their three-track EP 'Transmissions From A Distant Star' brims with melodic invention, accomplished harmonies and side-stepping chord sequences that conjures up an impressive list of possible influences. Pink Floyd, The Beach Boys, ELP, Jellyfish are just a few names that spring to mind.

Like all good bands though they're more than just a photocopied version of their favourite bands with a sound that both pushes boundaries but not at the expense of accessibility As is said in music industry parlance they're definitely "ones to watch". Intriguing to see what they'll come up with next. Check out the EP via the player above. 

Click here for The Paperweight Array on Twitter.

Click here for The Paperweight Array on Facebook.

The Sunchymes - Present...

(This review first appeared in issue 52 of Shindig! magazine)

 

The Sunchymes are a studio-based sunshine pop outfit from the distinctly unsunny environs of Northampton, and are a vehicle for the writing and arranging talents of auteur Aaron Hemmington. Their third album continues their ever more assured line in harpsichord and harmony laced soft-psych. Packed with Brian Wilson-esque melodies, chamber-pop arrangements and lyrics about parks, carousels and daydreaming, it makes for a pleasant, knowingly lightweight listen. The use of Mellotron strings and subtle phasing give the album a gently disorientating twist, though it's more psych that's safe for children than the full on lysergic experience.

'Time Will Tell' is typical of the fayre; breezy, upbeat and sugary. Despite lacking that killer song the album does a fine job in recreating a certain period charm and finely straddles the line between soft psychedelia and bubblegum. Abandon your alphabetical filing and stash this one between The Beach Boys' Friends and The Banana Splits LP.