AMBERSHADES' insanely catchy debut single "Clap Clap Clap" was every bit as infectious as the disease of the same (nick)name, and its' attendant, quality-thrusting B-sides ensured it would be remembered as one of 2003's very best debuts.
And now here's the follow-up, "8th Day", proving without any shadow of a doubt that the initial salvo was no chemically-induced fluke. Indeed, if anything, this one pips its' predecessor at the post, such is its' unnerring knack with winsome, anthemic melody. Ambershades are a real find, so remember where you read it first.
"8th Day" is less gimmicky than "Clap Clap Clap", but not the slightest iota less catchy. It starts with the brilliant intro line: "Yeah, do as I do...not as I say" over Danny Castle's spangly, Byrds guitar line, but soon slips into classic pop mode, mutating into a heavenly concoction with Motown-y basslines, massed Badfinger harmonies and the kind of jerky verses that might have graced an XTC hit single back in the day. That's a major compliment, incidentally.
And once again, the EP's two attendant tracks are both value for money players, too. "Dirty Thirty" again pulls off that classic retro/ thoroughly up-to-date thing these Sarf London boys seem to have off to a T. Paul Beard's piano ripples like something from one of Free's classic albums, Castle's guitars are wickedly evocative of Ron Wood and Davey La gives it his best Liam G and it comes off like it's the freshest thing in the world.
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Closing tune "414", though, is probably even better. Initially a distant, bittersweet cousin of "Too Much" from the first EP, it kicks off with Davey lamenting: "Feels today like life has passed me by", but after some soul-searching, he's soon preaching: "I've got clean knickers...ooh la la!" with a filthy wink at Uncle Rod and within seconds the song's resembling a modern update of The Small Faces' jaunty buskathon "The Universal", with added harmonica and sizzlingly smooth sax solo lobbed in for good measure. All too soon it all collapses in boozy bonhomie, with them intoning "let's stick together" like it's the sagest of advice. If this is what they can create together, you can only nod gravely in agreement, too.
Two EPs in, then, and Ambershades are sitting pretty. Where they'll go now is anyone's guess, but on this form taking your eye off the ball round here is certainly not the sensible option.
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