This'll be the one after the huge hit. In 1996, Dallas band Deep Blue Something had a massive worldwide smash with Breakfast At Tiffany's
, then vanished into the ether. Two years later, they came back with a new album, taking influences from wherever they could find them.
The album opens with an epic guitar solo, almost three minutes long, evocative of many of the post-grunge songs from 1994. Second track So Precious
has a forced jazzy feel, and the band's never comfortable with it.
Third up, She Is
sounds like a Suede B-side from 1992, all hiccupy vocals and a recurring theme of "what makes you so perfect." The Suede throwback continues on the upbeat Cherry Lime Rickey
, before going into something almost choral on the title track.
By track seven, Enough to Get By
, we've retreated to acoustic guitars and lazy singing that builds into a swirling number with strings, in the style of Stephen Duffy. It's back to post-grunge for Hell In Itself
, while Dr Crippen
tries to add the drum beats of Machina-era Smashing Pumpkins, and fails miserably.
The group channels the spirit of the Longpigs on Tonight
, all shouty and anthemic. William H Bonney
is a strange beast, combining Babylon Zoo, anthemic guitars, and a mumbled vocal.
The remaining tracks are something of a return to Britpop's standards, without ever quite having the courage of their convictions.
Where they do well, towards the start of the album, DBS have quality songs. There's very little of the same anthemic standard as Breakfast...
though, and that's got to be what cost them in the long run.