Labels: Used Vinyl Club
Review by: Andy Malcolm
Ok, this is super confusing. The CD comes packed in a record mailer, with a screened cover, and inside is a record, which in my case appears to be Status Quo’s “Down Down”. I think the gist of it is that you get a CD and some old piece of vinyl for free. It’s an odd one. Anyway, I’ll review Puzzle and not Status Quo. This is the second Puzzle release I have reviewed, and this picks up from where the other left off, reminding me of late 90s indie / rock / pop bands such as Sarge and Pohgoh, and maybe the Promise Ring too, particularly when it gets bouncy. It’s all quite gentle but with just enough bite to keep it interesting. The focus for me is the pretty, chiming guitars and excellent vocals provided by Lucy. They mention on the sheet of paper that comes with this record that “our songs always reflect just a hint of nostalgic sadness for days you can never get back”, and that certainly comes through in these songs, especially on opener “Six Years” that seems to be about time passing and moving on, it’s a shame there is not a lyric sheet in here actually “” I am always a bit reticent to comment on lyrics without being able to read them myself.
4 songs on here, not quite enough, but a solid taster and insight into the world of a band that’s a little out of step with their peers. This is a good thing.