THE PERFECT SKINS hail from the Irish midlands – specifically Portlaoise – and may or may not have chosen their name from the Lloyd Cole song of the same name.
Their debut album 'Superhero' came out in 2004, but slipped under W&H'S radar. However, 'A Reconstructed View' isn't a bad introduction by any means. The photo of the band on the inner booklet suggests they've been around the block a few times and certainly these competent, well-played and sometimes inspired songs are no slouches by anyone's standards.
Recorded and produced with clarity by frontman Brian O'Mahoney, the songs peopling 'A Reconstructed View' are of the scarred and emotionally-bruised variety, although the musical backdrops sometimes come with a likeable spring in their step. 'Lost Control', for example, is instantly memorable with its' little synth splatches and Pulp-style disco textures, while the positivity-first 'Cloud Nine' veers nicely from dreamy to defiant and gets driven home by an impressively big guitar coda at the end.
Sound-wise, The Perfect Skins peddle a decent deviation on the tried'n'tested indie guitar approach. Songs like 'Head Wreck', Stand Still' and new single 'Lay Down' smoulder nicely enough, quietly referencing the likes of Aslan and Crowded House without ever sounding horribly derivative. O'Mahoney has a commanding voice without either wimping out or going for Bono-style overload and while many of these tunes culminate in big choruses (check out 'Give It All Up' if you wonder what an indie power anthem sounds like) this writer would be happy to take them over the horribly over-rated Snow Patrol any day of the week.
|
To cement the good impression, they keep a couple of their very best songs in reserve for the end, courtesy of 'Under The Stars' and 'Oblivion'. Dealing sympathetically with homelessness ('Under The Stars') and premature death ('Oblivion') they tackle difficult subjects with care and attention and build stirring tunes around them to boot. 'Oblivion' – with its' flecks of piano, restrained arrangement and emotive O'Mahoney vocal – is particularly moving and could well be the very best thing here.
'A Reconstructed View' may look out upon familiar terrain with its' windswept guitars and aching choruses, but it's one of those slowburners that grabs you with repeated plays. The Perfect Skins, it seems, are refreshingly free of blemishes where intelligent guitar pop is concerned.
(http://www.myspace.com/perfectskins)
(http://www.matchboxrecordings.co.uk)
|
