Stornoway - I Saw You Blink

Our review
Customer reviews
Press release

2...according to our Brian on Wed 17 Mar, 2010.

No, I've no idea what is going on with the genre formally known as indie. It's turned into a bit of a skippy retarded pony show for me. None of these bands have an edge, they're all breezy, semi-acoustic, over-chirpy drive time radio shagging idiots. Stornoway is a boring name, as bad as Shearwater. 'I Saw You Blink' is another example of contemporary head-noddy post-Vampire Weekend uplifting pop. Ah! yes! This reminds me of a rather characterless late-period James track. I like the playful bobbing bass line, the tune is completely amicable & inoffensive. I'd even say it has a bit of heart but BUT..... It's audio candy floss for the same generation of haircuts who think Mumford & Sons are the saving grace of real music and the tune begins to fade pretty rapidly in my mind the minute it's finished. Where's the HOOKS and the DANGER? Where's the fucking ROCK n ROLL? Gahhhh!

“The ace up Stornoway’s sleeve is that their songs are suffused with unmistakable melancholy
and poignancy” - Sunday Times Culture; “Romantic nature-lauding lyrics” - NME

2010 is already shaping up to be a strong year for Stornoway, one to match their
not inconsiderable successes of 2009. Being booked for an unprecedented four
stages at Glastonbury, a headline slot on the Introducing Stage at Radio
1’s Big Weekend, playing to fans Jay-Z and Dave Grohl on Later With Jools
Holland and hosting their own sold-out show in Oxford’s magnificent Christopher
Wren designed Sheldonian Theatre were among the highlights.

January saw the Oxford Faux Pop songsmiths being credited with the enviable
accolade of a position in the highly influential BBC Sound Of 2010 tastemaker poll.
It’s rare that the BBC gets its predictions wrong, and previous early tips from them
have all gone on to achieve greatness. The band are now moving on from being
phenomenally credible, independent, unsigned artists to being one of the first key
signings of 2010, and with their debut album to look forward to they are starting the
year as they mean to go on.

‘I Saw You Blink’, the first fruits of their newly-inked deal with 4AD, is a rich
tapestry of pop melodies, embroidered with the band’s crystalline, four-part
harmonies.

5...according to Jurgen Vookes.

Stornoway's stuff is brilliant. Your review really is way off beam. Was your reviewer on the bounce after a nasty break-up with his boyfirend, or what? The Stornoway sound is the most uplifting I've heard in yonks. The musical structure, harmonies and counterpoint are incredibly sophisticated. These guys are genuine musicians! And at least I can hear and understand the lyrics!

Rating: 5 out of 5

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