Taffy - Lixiviate

  by Anthony Strutt

published: 16 / 8 / 2013

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Review

‘Lixiviate’ is the second album for the Japanese but Welsh-named four piece from Tokyo. It is a wonderful, fun album that opens with ‘Sweet Violet’, which has strong shades of Echobelly, but with a little more energy. ‘Tumbling’ is like Elastica at a party, and throws in an element of the Smashing Pumpkins as well. ‘Snowberry’ is a true head spinner, like Blur without the boring fake Cockneyisms, or Britpop without the in-your-face flag waving side of it. ‘Boys Don't Cry’ is a wonderful track, which reimagines and puts new life into the Cure song which has now been overplayed by its original performers. This adds magic and spice to it, and makes it a stand out number. It is also available on a coloured vinyl 7 inch. They slow the vocals right on down, and then grunge the music up so it is again like a Smashing Pumpkins track. ‘Stewart and a Yellow Bicycle’ is a hip hop and jump track, full of summer time joy, like Sleeper but with more grit in their swing. ‘When is Forever’ features spoken words from singer Iris over light instrumentation, and then speeds right up at the end. ‘Dawn Red’ is Jesus and Mary Chain fuelled and has vocals from Iris on it,which are the best side of Sarah Nixey in Black Box Recorder. It is sharp, edgy and ballsy. ‘Train’ is jangly friendly, and in contrast a sweet, soft number. ‘Maple Art’ is as fast and as edgy as Elastica while ‘No Endings But Only Beginnings’ ends the album in bright and airy Britpop fashion. An excellent second album.

Track Listing:-

1 Sweet Violet
2 Tumbling
3 Snowberry
4 Boys Don't Cry
5 Stewert and a Yellow Bicycle
6 When Is Forever
7 Dawn Red
8 Train
9 Maple Art
10 No Endings But Only the Beginnings

Band Links:-

http://www.taffy8.com/
https://twitter.com/taffy8tw
https://www.facebook.com/taffy8
https://www.youtube.com/user/taffytheb
https://plus.google.com/10072160316727

Label Links:-

http://store.clubac30.com/
https://www.facebook.com/clubac30
https://twitter.com/clubac30