The Suncharms are back, with the bands third album since coming back from the late 80's/early 90's paisley wilderness of Sheffield to charm the ears of receptive listeners. They are Marcus Palmer, Chris Ridley, John Malone, Matt Neale and Richard Farnell. The album was recorded at Cocina Studios in Sheffield and produced and mixed by Matt Neale.
The album opens onboard the Midnight Train, hazily looking around, trying to drink it all in, the reverb echoes like a long tunnel, but you are still dreaming of being the next Galaxie 500 on a crest of cymbals and gently evocative keyboards.
Annabel Lee is a cruel little tale of where life can take you, into a room full of echo and jangly guitars, giving feeling and emphasis to this dark tale. Stone Tape Rewind sounds like a very 80's thing to be doing, this has some delightful slide guitar set against the ever-present keyboards, this draws the listener into the Suncharms hazy slightly stoned world rather nicely.
Monster To Me has that laid back Luna feel almost perfect, while they discuss exactly what had happened for you to turn into a Monster To Me, close trumpets add a good bit of charm. Air Raid Shelter is on a subject that my mum and Nan would never stop talking about, especially what happened if you went to the wrong part of the Air Raid Shelter, this sounds more like they are remembering what it was like to cower in fear of the bombs and destruction, while reminiscing about an Air Raid shelter that has been closed in the last few years, with those tunnels are apparently not currently needed, They actually want to get back out of London and up the M1 to home.
Diamonds isn't about those tears falling from your eyes, this is slower hushed beauty, ever so slightly opiated searching for the Diamonds in your soul that the guitar soars out from. 1000 Years is a blip in time when they are as deeply in love as this, the love that encompasses a universe of feelings and psychedelic guitars, they drift through time never forgetting you.
Motorway Bridge doesn't make clear if you are on that bridge threatening everything or just driving over it, will you take a swan dive or not, will the headlights blind you or not, they dream of ghost trains and drinking in the wonders of the endless Motorway Bridge to nowhere cruising over Sheffield. Interstellar is for that part of your journey through space where everything is calm and serene, despite the immense speed you travel at.
Ferris Wheel turns round and round very slowly like this songs revolving tune, charming you and drawing the listener into this laid-back spaced-out scene they can see from the top of the Ferris Wheel.
Winter Sun has spectral strings and a super chilled out vibe for relaxed listening to the detailed guitars, while listening to exactly what happened under that Winter Sun. The album closes with A Snowstorm, of the winter variety, no matter how out of it they might sound, the vocals on this go a good bit Edwyn Collins
Find out more at https://sundayrecords.bandcamp.com/album/darkening-sky https://www.facebook.com/thesuncharms
