Coley Park - Rhinoceros
by Anthony Strutt
published: 24 / 7 / 2007

Label:
Big Potato
Format: CD
intro
Lo-fi, summery pop on third album from Reading-based group Coley Park
Coley Park come from Coley Park on the outskirts of Reading and are Mojave 3's constant support band. 'Rhinoceros' is their third album and first for a new label after two albums on Mojave 3 frontman Neil Halstead's Shady Lane Records. 'Hip Hip Hooray' opens the album and has a jangly lo-fi groove. It sounds like the LAs doing a trippy Beach Boys number. 'Quiet Lanes' is again lo-fi, sounding like an early Prefab Sprout or early Orange Juice track. 'On A Strict Budget' is very jangly and summer filled, while 'I never Believed a Word'is more rushed and would be furiously fast in sound, but an added trumpet makes it sound mushy. 'Thirsty Dogs' is folky but jangly, recalling both Mojave 3 and Nick Drake. 'Always in Love' has a summery charm, a mouth organ solo instantly giving it a Neil Young/Dylan feel, but there is enough Coley Park in it to give it its own identity and to make it a song to sway too. 'Said and Done'is acoustic and, elegant in sound with a strummed banjo, as delicate as Drake again, an added flute giving it a 60's feel. 'Devil's Tree' in contrast is very loud and, still very lo-fi and again reminiscent of the LAs, has a happy, summery sound. 'Somewhere, Somewhere, Somewhere' is delicate and fragile. 'Ghosts in the Sun is lo-fi and acoustic and begins sounding like a Mojave 3 number, until it revs up a gear and its guitars become distorted before it twees down again. 'Of All Faces', the last track, is very summery. 'Rhinoceros' is a total joy from start to finish, and as an added bonus there is a secret bonus track which is very short, experimental and full of piano and distorted guitar.
Track Listing:-
1 Hip Hip Hooray2 Quiet Lanes
3 I Never Believed A Word You Said
4 Thirsty Dogs
5 Always In Love
6 Said And Done
7 Devil's Tree
8 Somewhere Somewhere Somewhere
9 Ghosts In The Sun
10 Upon This My Word
11 Of All Faces
12 May The Sun Shine On You Kindly
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