3/5
Blissful vibes from Manchester / Texas quartetThat the four members of The Earlies had never been together in the same room together until the release of their third single is as good an indication of the unusual manner in which they write as the bizarre collision of sounds on this richly orchestrated debut album. It also doubtless helps to explain why it’s taken over five years since their debut 7” to find a label brave enough to fund it. But it’s a gamble that has paid off, even though the glut of similar material around at the moment will no doubt soon lead to a chillout compilation mountain in some European wasteland (something The Earlies almost seem to acknowledge with this seemingly posthumously titled collection).
Echoing the geographical divide that gave birth to their music – the four band members are divided between Texas and Manchester – their intricately arranged music spans the vocal innovation of The Beach Boys and the playful but organic soundscapes of, say, Lemon Jelly, but there’s no need to dismiss The Earlies as latecomers to the dinner party. The rich orchestration and lush sounds that underpin these eleven tracks are beautifully offset by a wealth of complex harmonies that repay return visits. True, there’s a lack of dynamic variation, with only one song – Morning Wonder – really picking up the pace, but the sense of wide-eyed wonder and innocence that runs throughout rarely becomes tiring. Bring It Back Again recalls the playful nature of last year’s Fourtet and Manitoba albums, while Song For #3 is a genuinely moving and perfectly intimate little gem that unapologetically draws upon ‘Pet Sounds’ for inspiration. One Of Us Is Dead, meanders through fertile pastoral territories, while 25 Easy Pieces blossoms into choral bliss.
It’s perhaps the human qualities of ‘These Were The Earlies’ that set it apart from many of its downtempo contemporaries (though The Big Chill crowd would undeniably welcome this into their bijou residences). With lavish use of strings, clarinet, trumpet, piano and more besides, it’s frequently and unapologetically sentimental, but never cloyingly so. A comforting blanket of sounds that swaddles and swathes, this is likely to outlive the summer sunsets and provide a warm glow well into winter.
