Handclaps & Tambourines is Librarians With Hickeys difficult second album, so difficult in fact that they recorded and shelved the first version, this is the second attempt at a second album, for this power pop band from Akron Ohio, who are Rob Crossley, Andrew Wilco, Ray Carmen and Mike Crooker.
The album opens with Better Get Home a very Byrds style power pop song about going home to a well- loved place, this feels perfect for a sunny summer's day it's quite breezy and very upbeat.
Ghost Singer stays in the classic power pop mode with luscious harmonies a crisp mix as we wonder exactly how that Ghost Singer has spooked them while sounding extremely catchy.
Fairground is a bit more bass heavy as this revolves, rotates as life has become a merry go round, they no longer know how to get off of.
Can't Wait Till Summer has high keening vocals with lyrics that are quite teenage love story, as they are waiting to see a girl they only see during the summer holidays, as they hope things will still have the same magic, as they wait for the love letters to arrive, this has an innocence to it as well, as sparkling guitars with of course plenty of handclaps.
Lady Overdrive is propulsive power pop, in love with a lady they just can't keep up with, as she's always in overdrive, this powers on like they are cruising in a muscle car, with their sun burnt arm resting on the open window, just as the guitars go off, it has a strange handclap led break down, as she drives them to distraction once more.
I See You seems to owe a debt to Don't Fear The Reaper before going off in a poppier direction with insistent guitars, as ever sweet vocals, with 60's echoes, as you hope that the object of his desire sees him, how he sees her.
I Can't Stop Thinking About you isn't the classic early Bowie song, mores the pity, its far sweeter Byrd's like pop, than a mod beat group sound, as he has that special someone stuck in his head, well he tells her in so many ways he could be accused of being a stalker if he's not careful.
Over You is a stomp along classic harmony power pop song of love and longing for a girl who's dumped him, ghosted him, he just can't except that, this is quite bitter at how they've been treated lyrically, no matter how sweet it is musically.
Stumbling Down Memory Lane is a song of sadness and regret for all the friends and heroes who've died in the last few years, its rather wistful.
The Last Days Of Summer adds Laryssa Bulbenko's Viola to add more poignancy, to this evocative pop song of longing for great summer times, no matter how many mistakes we make along the way.
When We Were Young is reflective, sounds like Chris Bell with shades of Big Star Third, this will have you all misty eyed, for what we all used to get up too in the 70's and 80's if your old enough.
The album closes with the lush apology of Me And My Big Mouth that reflects on all the trouble he's got into, not being able to keep his trap shut. The guitars glisten with regret as they beg for forgiveness once more.
Find out more at https://www.bigstirrecords.com/product/799058 https://lwh1962.wixsite.com/librarianswithickeys https://bigstirrecords.bandcamp.com/album/handclaps-tambourines
