Maia - Pepper Stars

  by Benjamin Howarth

published: 14 / 11 / 2012

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Review

I first saw Maia playing as an opening act in the tiny 12 Bar Club in Denmark Street in London in 2010. They were still full-time students then, but they combined a refreshingly unpretentious stage manner with adventurous songwriting. Each of the band’s four members scuttled round the stage, swapping instruments regularly and – without a regular drummer – using a weird mix of percussion instruments (including a cajon). At their core, however, were arresting melodies and unusual harmonies. Their first album came, hand made, in a wooden box and, I think, was only available from the band at their gigs. It was one of my favourite albums of 2010. Folk had mysteriously become a Radio One staple, with Mumford and Sons winning Brit awards and selling out arenas. Maia used folk instruments, but their songs were unpredictable and often reckless. It sounded like they were making music mainly for their own amusement, while never being guilty of self-indulgence. Having finished their studies, ‘Pepper Stars’ is their first ‘professional’ release, and simply sharpens what I liked about the debut. Maia claim to have invented ‘sci-fi folk’. Actually, although they use folk instruments (ukulele, banjo and a mandolin), this is pop music – with beautiful harmonies and dramatic melodies. 'Pepper Stars' rattles by, with 14 songs in 40 minutes, most lasting less than three minutes. No song sounds alike. Maia have been compared to Talk Talk, David Bowie and Radiohead – which sounds like the kind of thing you would say if you can’t think of anyone specific to compare a band to. I can’t recall many mariachi brass solos on the last Radiohead album. A better comparison might be Arthur Lee’s Love or, perhaps, Calexico. Yet, there are also splashes of electronica and nods to the dreamy pop of Antony and the Johnsons. Maia aren’t imitating anyone. I don’t think any of the songs on this album are destined for the Radio One playlist, but taken as a whole, ‘Pepper Stars’ is a thrilling listening experience. Like their debut, this is an album I will be coming back to time and time again.

Track Listing:-

1 Alien
2 Zuma Aluma
3 Alight Adventure
4 Pepper Stars
5 Dear iO
6 Where Else But Earh
7 The Boy
8 The Grandfather Plan
9 Sundown
10 Living in the Alligator
11 More Strangely Than the Moon
12 Four Angels
13 Constant Play
14 Towards the Onion

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/maiatheband
http://maiatheband.com/