Good Morning Valentine "Steady Your Hands" (Collectible Escalators 2006)

Good Morning Valentine do a nice line in catchy, but thoughtful pop tunes, drawing on a plethora of influences from Motown, to 60s Summer of Love , and even the 80s " new romantics". "Last Year" and " City Lights " both epitomise this approach, and could make compelling hit single material. The band, however, have other strings to their bow. They employ a moody, atmospheric style at times, bringing to mind the Blue Nile, most notably on the smouldering " So Long", there is more than a hint of Jackson Browne in the swooping melody lines of " Can't Say ", with its gorgeous 3/4 shuffle beat and haunting reverb laden guitar, and the token, almost mandatory, country input gets an airing on the big, boomy " Invitation". The current trend among many pop bands to give minimal information on who writes, sings,or plays what, is an irritation ( maybe, along with the absence of any photos, it is considered to add to the " mysteriousness" of the band? ) , but the uncredited lead vocalist wears a myriad of influences on his sleeve, with the mannered stylings of Scott Walker, and the clipped phrasing
of Tom Rush or the late David Ackles, amongst others, surfacing regularly. There is meticulous attention to detail in the arrangements of the songs ,with an almost orchestral feel employed at times. Nowhere is this more evident than on the closing track "Why do you Bother? ", which boasts several mood and tempo changes, and a big brassy feel which bears all the hallmarks of the final, big production number in a Broadway musical. At times it borders on the too ambitious with perhaps a hint of over arrangement, but for the most part, it stays just on the right side of tasteful.
All in all, an extremely stimulaing and varied collection of intelligent pop tunes from a band clearly riding on a creative high.

Date review added:  Monday, January 30, 2006
Reviewer:  John Hinshelwood
Reviewers Rating:
Related web link:  www.goodmorningvalentine.com