4/5
The word ‘anticipation’ has been thrown around quite a
bit concerning Delorentos awaited third studio offering. With Little Sparks,
the band returns with their signature brand of bright, indie-pop guitar music,
though this time with a lot more depth. The soundscapes are broader and even
more interesting than before, while altogether Little Sparks is a far tighter
album than the previous two.
The album opens on a sanguine note, with the sprightly
pop number that is the single Did We Ever Really Try? With the typically
Delorentos style synthy guitar sound, it’s an extremely bright opening. It’s
enjoyable and provides an optimistic lead into the album. Right after this,
however, is a stripped back but gripping track in the form of Bullet In a Gun.
The verse consists of Ronan with his acoustic guitar and drums distantly
pounding behind. It is intriguing, the listener knows something is about to
happen. This comes with the chorus’ trebley Clash-like electric guitar, backing
vocals and claps.
Care For, which already seems to be a fan favourite, is
one of drummer Ross’ tracks. There is an interesting guitar line in the chorus,
which skips and whirls hypnotically and is reminiscent of older Irish
independent artists such as The Immediate. This is definitely the big pop tune
of the record, if nothing much more. The verse gives nothing that wouldn’t be
expected, but all the same I think I would enjoy this much more in the context
of a live show as a simple dancey song. Kieran’s Petardu is next on the
tracklist. I enjoy the melody of this track and atmosphere in the mix, however
some of the lyrics I find to be a tad clichéd and slightly off-putting; for
example “We’re related by blood/Someone else’s blood”.
After this, the album continues at a reasonably even
pace. There are some extremely atmospheric moments, such as in Right To Know
and the wonderfully evocative Swimmer. The latter of which begins very sparsely
with haunting melodies and continues with marshy layers, well-conveying watery
textures. The title track builds up progressively from calm and understated to
a powerful ending before falling to my personal favourite on the record, Waited
For You So Long. This song is tender and unsettlingly loyal. The descending bass
of guitar line in the chorus feels regretful and the voice dances on the edge
of falsetto in the verse; it is the sweetest and loveliest they have offered
yet.
Another of my favourites is The Stream - smooth and
sentimental and eases to a slightly skippy beat. The first few bars pour out
and the melody is naïve in the best way possible. The lyrics are simple, yet
effective: “Even though I love you, you’re a fool”. The album ends with the
swarming sounds of Witness In The Dark, as the vocals call out with warmth. Its
music is warm and rich in general, with long thick bass notes and calm
sensations throughout until the drums come in precariously in the mix. A
wonderful seal to the album.
Overall this is the best record Delorentos have released
yet and it feels most like a complete record. Well worth a listen.
No comments:
Post a Comment