Creative, mellow indie for anyone who appreciates music
Apparently the next big thing in the world of alternative music is ‘individuality’ and an impossibility to pigeonhole. Indeed, the last three CDs I have reviewed have been accompanied by a press-release declaring something along those lines; ‘Park Lake Speakers’ is no different. Well, besides that fact that Liverpool’s Ella Guru actually are difficult to pigeonhole; sure, this is another dip into the mellow indie pool, but this is approached in a much more creative manner than the majority of similar artists.
‘Park Lake Speakers’ begins with a beautiful, breathy clarinet introduction, in a laid-back jazz style. This recording sounds so much like an early-twentieth-century recording, complete with hiss, that, for the first few seconds I thought perhaps the wrong song had been put on the CD. When was the last time you heard a clarinet take such a prominent role in popular music? Van Morrison? I don’t know, but it is due to this that I am intrigued from the word "go". The vocal delivery is a team effort of soft male & female harmony from John Yates and Kate Walsh. The vocal style is breathy and almost whispered, continuing the effect started by the clarinet in the introduction. Despite the rest of the song taking a slow tempo, the vocals are delivered almost quickly, and syllabically, creating what could be an urgent atmosphere. The music comes together until it is no longer made of separate instruments; instead there is a reassuring flow of sound that so perfectly dances behind and around the vocalists, with pretty guitar work throughout. A harmonica solo asserts itself towards the end of this three-and-a-half minute enchantment; just the adventures with instrumentation here give this song an extra mark-out-of-ten.
This is, perhaps, more a song for a music fan who appreciates that music has existed forever. I believe this appeal more to a musician than your average alternative fan. Despite this, I was blown away by Ella Guru, and it is my firm belief that ‘Park Lake Speakers’ should be part of any music appreciator’s collection.
Check out the single with the below links.
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