Erland And The Carnival - Map Of An Englishman

Now these guys did a blooming great album last time. They know how to load a song with great vibes, easy melodies & a timeless (ie: 60s psych) appeal. This new single introduces one of those kind of belching, farting electronic mid-range sounds which makes me think they're trying to be less retro sounding. I don't think the subtle electronic embellishment here is a hinderance, It certainly hasn't compromised anything too much but I don't think this tune is quite as strong as some of the tracks on the new album (which isn't at all the total let-down I was somehow dreading.) It's a bit of an airy verse/chorus/verse/chorus/song-over job. Singles used to be a good barometer of what to expect from a new album but now I reckon the A&R idiots just go for the most head-noddy substance-free banal tracks and push those at the radio station instead. Not to say there's any of these such idiots at the resolutely indie Full Time Hobby, just that the song is a little too brief & vacuous to have any real impact. The B-sides are loads better. Save yer cash for the album kids....