Help Stamp Out Loneliness - Help Stamp Out Loneliness

  by Dixie Ernill

published: 2 / 5 / 2011

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Review

Sometimes music surprises you in a way you least expect and that is exactly what happened when I first played the debut album by Help Stamp Out Loneliness. I had heard their name mentioned positively in Manchester music circles and even bought one of their singles about a year which registered briefly as above average indie-pop, but in truth I'd pretty much forgotten about them until the chance came to review their album. It was opening track 'Cottonopolis + Promises' that initially stopped me in my tracks, and then made me want to dance wildly round the room like I was 19 again. As, after a slow building intro of audio from a train station and then angelic harmonies, it gave way to heavenly jangling guitars and organs before singer D. Lucille's wonderful voice swept me away. Like a mixture of Alison Moyet's deep warmth and Nico's stunning cool, the vocals are certainly the standout feature of the band, but it would be unfair not to mention the other five members that help to create a musical canvas for D. Lucille to showcase her talents. Indeed musically every box is ticked for the perfect jangling C86 sound with an extra spoonful of sixties pop hooks just for good measure. There are so many highlights spread across the 12 tracks it was hard to keep still whilst listening. 'Angelyne", forthcoming single 'Record Shop' and 'The Ghost With a Hammer in His Hand' with it's gentle nod to Christine McVie are all sublime, but then again so are 'Biergarten', 'Me, Sola & C' and 'Cellophane'. Not to mention 'S*W*I*M'with it's dream-like tale of swimming around cafes and bars in your knickers, 'Tracy Tracy' and the seven minute epic that is final track 'Split Infinitives'. I don't know what more to say (as I want to go dancing round the room again in a vague Morrissey-esque way) other than buy this sodding album now and make it the soundtrack to your summer before the weather changes. Absolutely brilliant.

Track Listing:-

1 Cottonopolis + Promises
2 Angelyne
3 Record Shop
4 The Ghost With A Hammer In His Hand
5 Biergarten
6 Palma Violence
7 My Window
8 Me, Sola & C
9 Cellophane
10 S*w*i*m*
11 Tracy Tracy
12 Split Infinitives

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