Tamborines - Sea of Murmur

by Erick Mertz

published: 4 / 5 / 2015

Label: Beat-Mo
Format: CD

Excellent second album from Brazilian-formed and now London-based indie pop duo, the Tamborines

Review

The Tamborines’ second full-length album ‘Sea of Murmur’ opens up with ‘Another Day’, a perfect three-minute cluster of jangle pop that centres on the line, “Something always rhymes with goodbye.” With its good hooks and wistful lines, the song is infectious, and has the kind of lyrics that you can sing along with by the time the last chorus breaks out across a wash of rosy-cheeked guitars. I want every song to give me the same breeze through my hair feeling that the first one did, and often times they delivered on that promise. Brazilian-born and London-based, ‘Sea of Murmur’ is chock full of well-crafted pop: straightforward and melodic. The band reminds me of that briefest constellation of circumstances that made head Lemonhead Evan Dando a rightful indie rock Godhead (brief meaning, before ‘It’s A Shame About Ray’ although I’m fairly sure that no one is going to scrawl ‘Bring Me The Head of Henrique Laurindo’ on their drum kit; one simply cannot have everything). The two-piece band jangles fast (‘Black and Blue’ and the cracklingly wry ‘Fellini’s Thorn’, the best instances) and with a drowsy sort of melancholy (‘Ghost at the Lighthouse’) that draws the listener effortlessly into its depth. Their album strikes all the right chords, while remaining keenly focused on really efficient pop rock mastery. So many bands seem hesitant to go at their sound as directly as the Tamborines do; this album actually thrives in its lack of deviation and experimentation. I’m smitten with Sea Of Murmur an album that is relentlessly bright and smart with nary a crusty edge to quibble over. There remains a peppering of precious moments that feel outside the album’s groove (I’m thinking of the down turned “Said The Spider To The Fly” that left me wanting) but even there, I’m not deviating from my stance.

Track Listing:-

1 Another Day
2 Black & Blue
3 Ghost At The Lighthouse
4 Fellini's Thorn
5 Said The Spider To The Fly
6 One Afternoon
7 Indian Hill
8 Be Around
9 Slowdown
10 Dreaming Girl
11 The Most Important Thing