Father Sculptor – Blue / Ember

It’s sparky, cheeky and confident and possessing a talent that catches the listener.

It’s sparky, cheeky and confident and possessing a talent that catches the listener.

 

 

http://www.fathersculptor.com/

 

A ridiculously overblown release in many ways, but I like it well enough, mainly because there are two heavyweight tunes amongst the bluster and cavernous sound. There seems to be a liking for coming on “all theatrical” at the moment, especially amongst bands from the British Isles – a resurgence in that glossy sound from around 1985-86, that ZTT and Propoganda / Art of Noise stuff. This approach works if the bands in question have confidence and tunes a plenty, otherwise you are in severe trouble of getting bored very, very quickly. Luckily Father Sculptor seems to have both.

It’s clever music, you sense something sharp with this band; they are good at presenting their sound and ideas – the counterpoint whispers and background shouts on Blue adds that certain something that make it a great song, and stops it meandering or getting clunky. Essentially there’s something going on to hold your attention. Ember is a more reflective track, still served by grand, stately arpeggios and a rhythm section that beats out a melancholy tattoo: just before you think that things get samey, the ending kicks off with some visceral guitar work and an increase in pace and this

It’s sparky, cheeky and confident and possessing a talent that catches the listener.