Demos

The Little Darlings - Fit For Purpose

Owain Paciuszko 14/07/2009

Rating: 4/5

Silky, slinky folk-pop on this elegant debut EP. Opener The Heat is in the Flowers shows off Jo Nettleton's sweet lead vocals, kind of like a more summery Beth Gibbons. She's surrounded by glistening, twinkly instrumentation that, no matter what BST may be doing, wil transport you to a field on a beautiful day just watching the world go by. Aptly singing 'When you're in the bubble of love', which kind of encapsulates what this track does.

Time and Chance manages to somehow combine the sound of Fairport Convention with Massive Attack whilst sounding far removed from either. It's dream-like folk-rock with a dark edge, still lucid and bright but whispered backing vocals and melancholic lyrics add something subtle and different to the mix. Meanwhile Darling Baby sounds like some of Jenny Lewis's recent work, laidback and smoky, but ultimately too slight to make much of an impression here.

Final track If You Love Me has a sunshine guitar sound familiar from many bands that would have soundtracked Dawson's Creek, but thanks to good lyrics and Nettleton's voice it manages to stay just the right side of sentimental. Like the rest of what's on offer it's bright and breezy with a hint of grey clouds in the distance. A fine and apt record for the end of Summer, but with a sound that can conjure those lazy days with ease.