Things Lost is the latest album by the re-activated The Suncharms who were originally around in the period between 1989 and 1993 on the Sheffield scene. I have super hazy memories of possibly seeing The Suncharms playing at one of the three or four London shows they played first time around. The Suncharms are Marcus Palmer, Matt Neale, John Malone, Richard Farnell and Chris Ridley.
The album opens with the shoegazing sounds of 3.45 that I'm listening too at 3.59 so I almost timed it right, as the heartbreak at the centre of this song gets washed in reverb, as this new yet achingly familiar tune works it's magical charms to take away the heartbreak and loneliness, for what happened at 3.45 on that fateful day.
Satanic Rites are covered in hazy guitars, as all the action of how they ended up engaged in Satanic Rites rather than going to see more Anorak bands instead, an easy error one wrong turn in Sheffield and before you know it Aleister Crowley is your new obsession, as you try to explain away the betrayal and how it all happened.
The title track Things Lost has a gently intoxicating spell that it weaves with jangling guitars with almost whispered vocals telling us about all the things lost in the malaise of life, mainly of course their love for you and how hard it will be to move on.
Whitby has Byrds style guitars ringing out, trying to avoid all the goths, by being psychedelic, hanging out at the Abbey trying to look more forlorn than the black clad hordes haunting it. As they find romance and glamour among the historic ruins.
Daylight Is Here has a carefully played guitar solo that meanders through the haze of the sort of late-night exploits that keep you up until dawn.
Red Wine Kisses of the sort that still leave stains on your teeth the next morning, as that candle has burnt right down, your hangover hasn't quite kicked in yet, but you know it will. In ways that makes this in the same vein as Via Saturn this is the catchiest song on the alum.
Dark Sails have that Psycho Candy style feel, as everything has gone to pot, they wonder how to bring back the love and not get lost in time, as you have been cast out to sea in the dark night.
Having Demonic Eyes always leads to listening to shoegaze bands, like it is a gateway signal, beware of those eyes, they are a secret shoegaze obsessive, before you know it they will be swapping Sarah records singles with you, as well as other typically devilish behavior, that may be different to what's described in the lyrics. As one look from those eyes and this lot melt, as the super steady beat keeps them dreaming of those demonic eyes.
Torrential Rain is coming in over the dales once more, another dreich day they choose to spend making high quality late 80's style shoegaze, listen to the reverb as the rain patters down, as they dream of the last track on a 7" single.
The album closes with Last Tram slowly pulling out of Meadowhall heading towards Nether Edge, hoping to remain coherent enough to not miss your stop, as they hope the love, they have for each other isn't over, the guitars intertwine in the ways they wanted there bodies too, as they discuss the end of the tram era in the early 60's, as they know how to really seduce a woman!
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