Whisperin' and a 'Hollerin' - July 2005 (N. Yorks)

'Skydiver' / 'Make Some Hay' promo review

Reviewed by: Tim Peacock

Web Site:  www.whisperinandhollerin.com

Another fine bucketload divined from the apparently bottomless Leeds well of talent, the immortally-named LOUDMOUTH soon came to W&H's attention with their brilliantly inventive tunes and irreverent press releases (sample quote: "If Charlie Watts was a lot younger and a bit more from Leeds, he would be Guy (La Grange). However his tremendous laid back percussion makes him sleepy. This is remedied by attaching electrodes to his plums") during 2004 and indeed "Skydiver" was one of two tracks that made their self-released single shine like a beacon from the morass of mediocrity.

Since then - aside from Guy's plums healing up well, one hopes - LS have come to the attention of the nice people at Channel 4 who have picked up on "Skydiver" as the theme tune to a new series called 'A Bear's Tail', from the same team who brought us no less than 'Bo Selecta.' Crikey.

Good on 'em, anyway, because this burst of publicity allows us a fresh opportunity to enthuse about "Skydiver" a second time. And within a few seconds of re-acquaintance, it's clear this slice of nous-hugging melodic pop suss with its' Kinks-ian twists, banjo, melodica, accordion, quirks and whimsy sounds every bit as persuasive once again.

All good, but what's arguably even better is that 'A Bear's Tail' will afford Loudmouth Soup a "Young Ones"-style opportunity to appear and play a different tune in each episode of the series. Hurrah! To give us some idea, we get a sneak preview with excellent new track "Make Some Hay", which is another cool and accomplished outing with lashings of pedal steel and more typically amusing and acerbic lyrical invective (sample lyric: "Do you think your DNA is making you turn out this way?") from singer Ben Hall.

Loudmouth Soup, then, remain a speciality dish everyone ought to try. Their music is a tasty and beautifully-conceived concoction rather than the ill-advised melange that often passes for 'eclectic' these days, so what are you waiting for? Skydive in and enjoy.

Rating: 9/10