Troubled Delight is the third album by Shropshire based Sicky who are the project of Mick Butler who recorded most of it himself with a little help from Jen Bone, Rebecca Butler, Lily & Scarlet Butler. The album was mastered by Charlie Francis.
The album opens with Billy Cousins a slow intro, into this song that makes absolutely clear you are Billy Cousins, a phrase or name that could imply a certain status in the drug underworld, the chanted vocals seem to be informed by the cinematic indie soul backing.
I'm Happy If You're Happy feels like the aftermath of a frustrating disagreement, the solution having been found, this is the central compromise to keep things stable being whispered into your ears over gently strummed guitar while you dream of being James Dean.
Ten Minutes is all she claims she needs to get ready, we all know that means more like 20, whatever you do don't try to hurry her along, it will be all your fault, so just sit there and read a book or summat.
My Girl's Gone she left in a hurry from the sound of this tune, the backing vocals ask if something happened to her, while the central vocal fills in a lot of detail.
Slide is the main single, you Slide deep back into all sorts of bad behaviour, is there a way back up the slippery slope, well maybe, the jaunty backing feels more upbeat than the lyrics.
Money For The News has a Violent Femmes feel to this song wondering why we have to pay for all the awful news delivered to us.
Win is not the Bowie classic, but a rather affected dark little tale from someone who likes to name drop other Bowie hits while trying to feel good about life.
Life In A Jar could easily be about his daughters collection of sticklebacks and stick insects, rather than someone supping booze from a jar, this has a slightly haunted edge to it.
Songbird is tweeting in his ear over a slow bassline and tambourine backing angelic voices dance in the background.
The Hill needs climbing, but you don't feel like doing it, you want jellied eels instead, while trying to complete the 22-mile charity walk the song is about. He hopes to feel like superman by the time he completes it.
Mankind well what can you say about Mankind that hasn't been said already, just don't tell the truth, no one else does, the sparse backing gives it a slight edge of despair totally in keeping with where mankind currently is.
Just Me is a clear statement that he knows no one gives a damn about him or his music, life art or anything else, we are all to self-centred to care about him. I have to say this album is well worth caring about and listening too. I hope the songs on this album stick in my head as much as the ones on Garbage Town did.
Find out more at https://sicky2.bandcamp.com/album/troubled-delight https://www.sickyb.com/ https://www.facebook.com/sicky333
