Sennen - Widows

by Anthony Strutt

published: 17 / 10 / 2005

Label: Hungry Audio
Format: CD

Enjoyable debut album from new shoegazing Norwich-based four piece Sennen

Review

Sennen are a Norwich-based four piece, which consists of James Brown on drums, Laurence Holmes on vocals,guitar, and piano, Richard Kelleway on vocals and guitar and Andrew Horner on bass. 'Widows' comes wrapped in a black sleeve. Sennen are favourites of the London shoegazing club and label Club AC30 where I first saw them live. In a live atmosphere they reminded me of early Ride, but this, their first album, is much more developed and shows that there is a lot more to them than just that. 'I Couldnt' Tell You', which opens the CD, features a slow but rhythm based guitar and drum beat, both of which play along to sunny Californian Teenage Fanclub harmonies. Whereas most tracks would end this carries on into a faster groove which is based in post rock territory, recalling Slowdive, Mogwai and Ride but updating their sound for the new century. 'Open Up My Arms' is more vocal based and not as tight. It suffers because of it but becomes firmer as it progresses. 'Laid Out' has elegant restrained guitars, a cool drum beat and vocals that sound like of those of Martin Carr of the Boo Radleys during his non commercial Creation era. 'All the Time' meanwhile is slow and stretched out, just lik the early Verve, but the vocals are again Teenage Fanclub based. 'It"s Not Like It Used to Be' is harmony based with a shaken tambourine, an edgy guitar in the background and drums that hold it together. 'One and the Same Thing' is neatly sandwiched after the last track and, more angry and fiery, sounds somewhere between Nirvana and Ride. 'Widows' is mellow and charming , but its beat picks up pace and it ends dragging you into a sonic wall of sound,. Cool ! More information can be found at www.sennen.org.uk