THE ELECTRIC SOFT PARADE - 'LIFE IN THE BACK SEAT'
ACTRESS HANDS - 'WHY THE SALE'

Here's the concept - a series of ten 7" singles, to be released periodically as a countdown to next years Truck Festival. Sounds like a well formed plan, and even more so considering the first release of the series is a Brighton double whammy of The Electric Soft Parade and Actress Hands. Splendid work - well played you people at Truck Records.

First up we have The Electric Soft Parades offering 'Life In The Back Seat' - and it proves to be everything you could have hoped for, highlighting perfectly their wonderfully bastardised vision of pop music that they've been busy honing on the live circuit. What we're treated to is a splendidly driving song - propelled along by quick-fire drumming, progressively choppy guitar chords, coupled with some clever complimentary keyboard melodies and electronic effects. Tom Whites voice is also becoming more and more self assured - in this instance he handles the verses while letting brother Alex takes centre stage for the harmony laded chorus.

Like a joyously upbeat clash between Guided By Voices and Magoo, it sounds nothing like anything the band have done or released so far, and is proof again if needed that by constantly evolving and exploring the musical landscape The Soft Parade aren't happy to simply plod along into musical mediocrity like so many others. Life in the back seat? Not for this lot anymore.

Flip things over and the fun continues thanks to 'Why The Sale' by the ever amazing Actress Hands. With a first record label backed album 'Show Madelaine' due for release early next year, it looks like 2007 is shaping up to be a big one in the world of the 'hands. While you wait in anticipation, enjoy 'Why The Sale' ? a lush slab of slightly jangly guitar pop, recalling a similar spirit to some of the C86 bands of the late 80's. Starting off as a mid tempo guitar strum, as the song progresses, so do the guitars ? getting louder and nicely distorted, before a Dinosaur Jr / My Bloody Valentine like rock-out-finale. Or perhaps the band put it better themselves? "Loud shoegazey pop coupled to jazzed out country rockisms". Whatever it may be, it's certainly impressive, and is what Actress Hands are all about.

8/10

Release Date: Out Now

Ian Chambers, Dec '06