The Dawn Chorus
Town / City EP
From the very first guitar slide of ‘The Town and The City’, to the last plaintive keyboard note of ‘Last Day of April’, The Dawn Chorus supply a tidal wave of top-notch unique songs.
It’s true to say that previous records have brought some good tunes. ‘Michael’, ‘Act of God’ and ‘Blood in the Bath’ are brilliant songs in their own right, but this EP has found the express elevator to the next level in every department.
I may be gushing at this point, but the lyrics are fantastic. I won’t start quoting at this point, but listen to ‘Lobster Telephone’ and beneath the melodies, trumpets, bouncy drums and chilled guitars are words that have more weight than the ambiguous title suggests. This is the kind of songwriting that neither opts for the obvious nor trips over the convoluted avoidance of what might be perceived as obvious.
‘End of the World Party’ has a world-weariness that winds itself into defiance and finally, into ‘The Celebration’ with such craft you can’t see the join.
If you’re looking for a song that can transform your eyes into sodden sponges, cease the search and grab some kitchen roll. ‘Last Day of April’ is of the highest calibre with a scuzzy intro to snap you into the song and a combination of guitar hooks that do enough to completely absorb you, even before the continentally-sized chorus or angelic bridge gets a hold of your most vital organ and starts squeezing.
It’s got some of the best bits of American meadow music and all the great quirkiness of the best British bands with a pioneering nature that binds it all together in a folky union. This is where music becomes art, so you can call it art. Call it what you will though, it’s all the same – I love this record.
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