I had the pleasure to talk to you yesterday (online though, just another Zoom meeting).
Then, I started to write my blog post. In French.
Suddenly I thought : this is not smart, a post in English might be more useful to you.
So here you are, please pardon my language level, which is not TOEIC 999 (btw, who can get the highest score to this test ? The Queen maybe. God Save Her.)
So we did chat. You not far from Manchester. Me in Saint-Germain en Laye, 15 miles West of Paris. Nice and chic suburbia.
We could talk together thanks to your label press service, Alice G. to name her (who does a great job). Fire Records is a fine and « out of the box » indie musuic label (I am proud of being in their list, because they work with fantastic artists).
Coming back to you, it was very cool to talk, and I liked t a lot when you explained me that youd id finalize the songs’ lyrics of your latest album (Flock) in France. In Carnac (Brittany), in December, when this place is quite empty and surely very rainy.
Also, your cat meowed somewhere in the background and we both agreed these nice beasts rule the world (I live in my cat’s house, too).
Being focused now on what could fire (LOL) our reader’s interest, let me give you my humble feedback on your latest album, that I did listen twice since the Zoom interview.
And, to be honest, to cheat a little, I did run through the very sophisticated UK press review literature about it.
I am not able to write such amazing articles (eg Pop Matters, The Guardian), but, dear Jane Weaver, let me try.
Talking about being a rock critic, I always remember to be conscious of the fact that I am not a musician and not to think my rating has an outstanding value. Songazine is however recognized for good taste ( 😉) and a positive minded content.
Let’s go and maybe a bit of what follows would be included in your press review wall of fame ?
Between « Splendid ! » (The Times) « ***** ½ « (The **** Blog) , « Superfragilisticomagnificentadulousable » (Pitchfork) and « A wanton half conceptual but not obstreperous, somehow quixotic virtuoso opus leading to winsome moody but fairly light nevrosis » (Pop Shatters).
I will do what I can.
This album touched my heart simply because its melodious, charming and fresh. I did feel happy and lighthearted as I heard the tracks. Would you be happy if I admit I did catch some bits and pieces reminding me of XTC or the (early) Talking Heads songs ?
What is pop music’s ambition ? Maybe, simply provide sparkles of joy to its audience ?
It’s very difficult to give a comment for every song (all are little shiny pearls), about every instrument or effect you used
I am sure you want eveyone to listen to all you wrote and played as a whole work of art. Exactly as a Baudelaire sonnet : writing pages and pages about every rhyme and verse would puzzle the author if he still was here with us.
To cut a long story short, Flock needs to be appreciated from A to Z, taking one’s time and being conscious that you crafted this with your heart and soul.
Voilà, dear Jane Weaver, wishing you loads of good reviews !
I am looking forward to seeing you live one of these days in Paris and you can say you have one true fan over here.
Kind Regards,
Jérôme « TOEIC 895, not too bad, huh ? » V.
