Accidental - There Were Wolves

  by Maarten Schiethart

published: 3 / 5 / 2008

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Review

Members of the Accidental usually play in the Memory Band, Tunng and the Bicycle Thieves. They didn't get together as such but exchanged sketches and ideas and the music went from there. How much charm should go into clumsiness to prevent an album from ending up as an expedition through boredom though? Yes, their common status does guarantee a certain standard,but alas 'There Were Wolves' lacks a sense of direction. I suppose the album is an honest attempt at making music, and there are moments of warmth and a couple of instances where their respective talents appear on the surface. Dull is, however, the four-letter word that aptly describes their effort. At times I found the album funny in its clumsiness, such as at one point when a tambourine is played in a style best known from the Shaggs, and that is out of line and sloppy. The album's memorable moments can be counted on the fingers of one hand. 'Illuminated Red' is a rare occasion where (most) pieces fall in to place. For the most part, the Accidental play fairy tale music and it comes from early morning spleen I guess. Their harmonic singing hardly ever reaches a point of synchronization and often I longed to hear genuine soul music from the US from the 1960's and 1970's instead. A concept like this requires more devotion and much better production. Right now, these are mere demos from musicians you and I probably would care to listen to under better circumstances

Track Listing:-

1 Knock Knock
2 Wolves
3 I Can Hear Your Voice
4 Jaw of a Whale
5 The Closer I Am
6 Slice Open the Day
7 Illuminated Red
8 Birthday
9 Dream for Me
10 The Killing Floor
11 Time and Space

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