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Allo Darlin' - My Heart Is A Drummer

My Heart Is A Drummer by Allo Darlin'

3...according to our on Thu 11 Nov, 2010.

More from the EU indie pop mountain. Can anyone say the words Allo Darlin' NOT in a leering cockney accent? None of us here can. Having sat through their recent album, parts of which made me want to hurl myself into the River Aire at the earliest opportunity, I was pleased to see that this is one of their more impressive offerings. It bounds along nicely but they wear their influences so large on their sleeve that it is close to ludicrous. The melody shamelessly recalls Cyndi Lauper's 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun' the chorus is from some Smiths record or other and the middle eight is from Noah and the Whale '5 Years Time'. I haven't decided yet whether they get plus or minus points for the bass solo. For the millions out there just DEMANDING an acoustic version of 'If Loneliness was an Art' you'll be pleased to note it pops up on the B side and.....Oh God No.....No No No No NO NO!!!!!!!!!!!. Half way through the lyrics are 'Sha la la la la Sha la la'. But Tennis have used these lyrics already today!!! How can this be? Was there nothing they could have sung instead?

 Allo Darlin' are many things. They can turn a room in a famous punk venue into a joyous, jumping, sweaty, pop-mosh pit. Or bring a room of 500 to hushed silence with the few strums of a ukulele and a love song about cooking. My Heart is a Drummer is the fourth single from Allo Darlin’s self-titled debut on Fortuna POP!, an album so chock-full of great tunes that it just keeps on giving. Brightening up the dull wintery days, “My Heart is a Drummer” calypsos and sashays, combining Elizabeth Morris’ signature ukulele with Bill Botting’s rumbling bass lines, Paul Rains’ rhythmic guitar and Mikey Collins’ swinging drum beat. Allo Darlin’ are a breath of fresh air breezing through stale music everywhere. Elizabeth Morris’ thoughtful yet playful creations are achingly personal, incredibly poignant and familiar all at once. Incorporating tunes that you think you must have heard before, she twists them into something new and highly intoxicating. Bringing a certain Australian aesthetic from her native country, she translates effortlessly into the London scene, using ideas very much based on every day life and observations. “My Heart is A Drummer” is a statement of inner strength and defiance with lyrics somehow manages to include a chain-smoking asthma suffering boyfriend, that nervous in love feeling of twisting your fingers round the telephone cord and Paul Simon’s Graceland. Meanwhile the b-side, an acoustic version of their last single “If Loneliness Was Art”, tells of longing for someone who is seemingly out of reach. Allo Darlin’s remarkable success began with their first single “Henry Rollins Don’t Dance” on the WeePOP! label which received play on Radio 1 and 6 Music and was hailed as “the best indiepop song for years” by The Guardian. Since being signed to indie label du jour Fortuna POP!, the band have been going from strength to strength with numerous live radio sessions for the likes of John Kennedy at XFM and Steve Lamacq and Lauren Laverne at BBC 6 Music and tons of critical acclaim. After multiple shows at the prestigious SXSW in Austin in the spring and a Pitchfork 7.9 album review, Allo Darlin’ will be back on the US music conference circuit appearing in New York at CMJ in October before embarking on a full Stateside tour. Earlier in the year they also appeared at the New York Popfest which lead to a glowing review on the front page of the New York Times website. Back in the UK, they toured with The School in March and played various festivals including End of the Road and Indietracks. The band play their biggest London show to date on the 17th Nov at Cargo.  //  “Terrific, witty and heartfelt, like a less moody Belle & Sebastian.” (The New York Times) //  “The 10 songs on Allo Darlin's self-titled debut album don't rewrite the formula for wistful bedsit charm as much as show that it can still be carried out masterfully” (Pitchfork 7.9/10) Have we sold it to you yet? Phew! It's a lark is this PR game.....

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