Derrero - Comb The Breaks

  by Andy Snowball

published: 28 / 3 / 2002

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Review

Wales’s Derrero are clearly taking their cues from the likes of the bands in the Elephant 6 group. ‘Comb The Breaks’ is a breezy, sunny record taking in 30-odd years of American pop, all the while adding more modern twists and never sticking to a single genre or sound throughout an entire song. What does remain constant, though, are the lovely harmonies, with the same breathy vocal mannerisms of Elliot Smith, and gentle guitars overlaid by old fashioned-sounding effects. ‘Old Grey Skies’ is austere, with occasional drum machine activity, and ‘Ripple of Strength’ is a fine song interspersed with novelty handclap samples. ‘Damn I’m Gonna Tear It Up’ is almost Pavement-esque, except for the opening four bars, repeated occasionally, that sounds like a musical interlude in the Tweenies. I think it’s safe to assume that the song’s name is something of a joke. But the record is unconvincing. Derrero clearly play music for its own sake, for a love of all the things they’ve grown up listening to, so although the result here is good, it’s hardly spectacular. ‘Comb The Breaks’ offers nothing to grab hold of, it is just a diversion – listened to and then rapidly forgotten. Nothing here is adorable, it is merely a collection of influences bundled together without much panache. ‘Comb The Breaks’ is polite. It won’t change anybody’s life but it may cheer up a dull Sunday afternoon.

Track Listing:-

1 Intro
2 Horizon
3 Old Grey Skies
4 Comb The Breaks
5 Ripple Of Strength
6 Lean On Me Comfort
7 Damn I'm Gonna Tear It Up
8 All Time Roy
9 Sound At The Rate It Fades
10 Zero Return
11 Dust Brings Depth
12 Sandbar
13 Telescopic Sights