Some things are worth waiting for, and for those paying attention it has been a lengthy wait for this album. Having quietly released a string of critically acclaimed EPs, the Jim Muir Slideshow disappeared from public view. Compiling these releases, and aided by some freshening up, the EPs are transformed into a debut full-length release which is no less worthy or essential.
Combining music with day jobs working as doctors, Jim Muir and Paul Galpin, have created an album befitting of men used to the sharp end an altogether more unpleasant reality. Whether it’s asking what comes next once the recreational drugs stop working on ‘After The Fireworks’, or detailing the agonies of breaking medical diagnoses on ‘Waiting for the Test’, the songs somehow maintain a tangible optimism in their almost relentless bleakness. If that makes the album sound like difficult listening, nothing could be further from the truth. Schooled in classic pop, each song unfolds as a neat little kitchen-sink drama, with clever and ambiguous lyrics, suggesting a wry playfulness on Muir’s part.
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‘..And With the Fading of the Light’ is maybe best viewed as a chance to jump on board with the Slideshow and familiarise yourself with the story so far. When and where the band will resurface again is anyone’s guess, but hopefully it’ll be sooner rather than later. For now, content yourself with possibly the first great record of 2008.
www.jimmuirslideshow.com
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