Although they hail from Calabria (Italy’s boot as you view it on the map), OTHER VOICES have pretty much been snaffled by Liverpool from the word go. Their debut EP ‘Beloved Child’ is the first release on the My Passion label – established by ex-Dead or Alive manager Francesco Mellina – and production duties come courtesy of former Space/ Balcony man Yorkie.
As to the record itself, there’s more than a whiff of the early ‘80s to be detected here. Other Voices share their name with the title of a track from The Cure’s magnificently gloomy opus ‘Faith’ and the sonic landscape they inhabit has previously been trodden with some panache by the likes of The Sound and Comsat Angels. If we must speak in contemporary terms, I suppose I could be raised to suggest Editors, but then I’d say Tom Smith’s men owe an equal debt to the likes of Adrian Borland and Steve Fellows anyway.
Whatever, ‘Beloved Child’ is a cut above a lot of the confused ‘indie’ fare out there right now. The title track has plenty of drive with stinging guitars and impassioned vocals, happily devoid of falsetto flights of fancy. I’d conjecture the questioning lyrics (“nothing’s clear, nothing’s right”) may be about growing up in the challenging modern world, but the urgency’s commendable regardless. So is the fact it ends just LIKE THAT!
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The other three tunes largely confirm the positive impression. Windswept, anthemic guitar pop with textural synth hold sway although the closing tune (‘Sometimes’) pivots around a hip-swayin’ bassline that’s almost Madchester in design.It hints at the dance-floor though the introspective lyrics (“listening to Nick Drake all day/ thinking about how I’m missing you”) are gloriously at odds with the music.
It matters not. What does, however, is that this ‘Beloved Child’ is worth lavishing some attention on. Other Voices are coming through. Listen hard for them.
Other Voices on MySpace
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