How does it compare to the artist's other releases
Not applicable
Value for Money
Advantages:
Great pop songs, summery hippy sounds
Disadvantages:
None really - digipak CD cover is a bit flimsy
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
This is how I came to buy the Cosmic Rough Riders album...
In HMV, I'd seen the album, vaguely remembered that I might have heard something of theirs I liked a lot on the radio, saw it was cheap, something like £6.99, so put a copy in the "maybe" pile of CDs stacked in my arms. This incredible song then came on the in-store music system, with the best hookline I've heard in ages - "I'm flying - watch me now", I was singing along in no time, and resolved to listen for the name of the band, and buy the record. And, of course, it was the Cosmic Rough Riders. Cosmic, or what?
>>> The Band <<< The Cosmic Rough Riders hail from Scotland, something which, initially, really surprised me - as their sound is a very American, West Coast kind of sound. But then, I remember being impressed in the same kind of way by Teenage Fan Club, also from North of the Border. They are a five piece - singer Daniel Wylie, along with Stephen Fleming, Gary Cuthbert, James Clifford and Mark Brown. It's indie pop, harking back to the 60's / 70's / Summer of Love, and, generally speaking, based around acoustic guitars. "Enjoy the Melodic Sunshine" is their debut album. And they're pretty good live, too - they've just done a tour of the UK, mainly small, college circuit venues. There has been a bit of hype surrounding this release, hence the fact that they were always getting playing in HMV, but if that means you get a cheap quality CD out of it, there's nothing wrong with that.
>>> The album <<< "Enjoy the Melodic Sunshine" is my most-played album at the moment. Definitely my album of the Summer. "Baby you're so free", the song that initially made me buy this album is 3 minutes of joyous, bliss-out pop. It's got a sense of humour, and is reminiscent of They Might be Giants or Barenaked Ladies (check out the "well it doesn't always work"/"no way" exchange, or how about "a vegetarian - you can't trust them"). "I'm flying - watch me now" is the best hookline I've heard in ages.
But the whole album is very nearly as good. They go REM-style for "Revolution (In the summertime)", the latest single. Towards the end of the album, many of the show a slower, more contemplative side, especially shown on "The pain inside". Just back to the Summery feel, though - there's "Emily darling", an acoustic song with prominent Beach Boys harmonies, and on "You've got me", the "Whatever's going on in your mind" lines sound like they could have been lifted from a Mamas and Papas song. To keep in the 60s vein, "The Loser" has some very Beatlesy guitars, and definitely sounds like a cover of an early Fab Four tune.
The shift from one song to the next is sometimes hardly discernable, it's not the songs are similar to one another, but they do blend in spectacularly well. The album is 45 minutes long, but once it's ended, you'll swear you've only spent about 20 minutes listening to it.
>>> The future <<< Well, I'd say the Cosmic Rough Riders, if they keep this up, are going to be really, really big. And if they can put out B sides with the quality of "The sound of windchimes", they must have plenty more strong songs on the way, and I for one am eagerly looking forward to their next release.
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How does it rate alongside the competition
Outstanding
Cover / Inlay Design and Content
Good
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