Dear Eskimo - patient EP
This three-piece emerging from Manchester may take a little getting your head round if you're a hard-nosed rock fan, but if you love great pop music then this is something that you could do with hearing.
The band themselves happily admit to being lovers of pop songs such as Britney's 'Toxic' and Justin Timberlake's 'Cry Me A River', but are trying to produce what they describe as the full package. Whereas many of the mainstream chart topping acts will have songs written for them, and dance routines designed on their behalf, Dear Eskimo are creating the whole thing themselves, from writing the songs to recreating their music in the live arena.
When 'Patience' first starts, you'd be forgiven for thinking this was going to be something a million miles away from where it ultimately ends up. A solitary and powerful baseline complimented by Katie White's Bjork like vocals gives the impression of something much darker and more moody than the warm and up lifting, catchy Sugababes style pop song that it becomes.
Maybe it's because I've got used to the idea by now, but 'Jack and Jill' is more obvious in what it's going to be from the start, I hope that by suggesting the name Alicia's Attic as a comparison won't confuse and leave you wondering whether to consult a mid nineties 'Now' album for confirmation of what that might sound like.
Just as I'm getting comfortable and used to what this band is doing they change the style once again. 'Don't Wanna Feel' is their party record as there's much more of a disco sound to this one, for me the stand out track and one that a Scissor Sisters fan might well like.
'Traffic Light' goes back to the pace and style of the first two, slower and more mellow, and for this reason doesn't have quite the same impact as the others have achieved.
There is a fine line to be drawn between what is simply plastic mainstream muck and what is likely to stand the test of time as being a great pop record, and this is before we take into consideration whether or not it will sell as often a song or artists quality doesn't make a scrap of difference to it's chart position. This EP from Dear Eskimo manages to stay sufficiently interesting to make sure that it isn't simply wallpaper music. It is pleasant but nothing earth shatteringly brilliant, although to be fair to them, on musical grounds alone they're live shows should be much more interesting than a concert by Sugababes, McFly or any other of the well marketed pop bands right now.