Labels: Song, By Toad Records
Review by: Michael McCann
This is an interesting one. So, I thought that Trips and Falls was going to sound a bit weird like a Thinking Fellers Union Local 282, but shitter. I listened to their song You Should Really get Yours on bandcamp which was, is and will be an odd, warbled song for the most part. If you look up weird in the bible you’ll see a picture of warble, Orville and Jayne Torvill… This CD however makes me think that I’m listening to a selection of music intended for a banking advert. That is to say it’s PRETTY FUCKIN’ LAID BACK, DUDE! Also, I have an insatiable urge to open up a cash ISA.
Smatterings of oddness remain here and there, in fact almost making a point of it on the first track with a break that’s a teensy-weensy-weensy-teensy-spider bit ‘o’ weird. But it’s not really very much weird at all! It’s all rather understated. Whatever anyone has told you about a bird being the word, forget it! I’ll cut them! The word is understated, and the music doesn’t deter from that description throughout. This can also be said of the performance. Nothing really breaks out of this shatterproof ruler’ed approach. It might have been the intention of the musicians that this album often gives off the vibe that it’s just about to explode into some sort of craziness during particular moments, but ultimately nothing never transpires. No crazy bum drum solos or rap throw downs in this crap bag hootenanny! It’s all very civilized and nice, which I find almost disappointing and maybe even a little bit boring. Though I hate to say it, it’s also sort of nice. Yep, it’s also sort of nice. Sort of dreamy, not in an Ashton Kutcher kind of way, he can reduce grown men to tears with his jaw line, but nope! Enjoyably nice. I lost the press sheet to know what the titles are but track 3 has a harmonic type thing over gentle distortion that builds into another genteel pop hook, which is nice. Track 6 is a beautiful romantic sounding song, which is nice. The sweep and end to track 9 is really ace, and is nice. Slide on track 5, infrequent female vocals in other places, some maybe xylophones or some-such plonky sounding instrument on another song, nice. It’s all rather quite effective at creating a certain atmosphere, which IS NICE but also quite a bit melancholy. I imagine less immature men would cry and enjoy that about it. Not me though, I’m a manly man!
Sometimes the vocals here remind me of something that I can’t put my finger on. This happens a lot to me, that I can’t quite put my finger on something else. I’M A HAPHEPHOBIC, BABY! I think that it might be some children’s programme title theme of yore. Something that nobody remembers during the time, let alone presently, something like Okie Doke or The Family Ness. Although I’m pretty sure, the press sheet, when I had it, said something about “Scottish”, so the latter suggestion may have been unintentionally racist. BUT IT MAY ALSO BE BLOODY RIGHT! Also, everyone remembers the Family fucking Ness! Wah! Woo!
People Have to be Told is like Michael Heselttines flaccid cock. I don’t know if there’s much incentive to go back, for me personally. Maybe if I find myself on a cold winters morn, trying to get to the bank.