THE YEARNING
Jukebox Romance
Our
favourite twee pop/girl group label scores again with this British studio
project’s debut release, a six-track mini-LP that combines the best of both
worlds. Svengalied by songwriter/producer Joe Moore, The Yearning is fronted by
15-year old teen sensation Maddie Dobie, ably assisted by co-vocalist Justyne
Halas. Moore unabashedly wears his Joe Meek/Phil Spector influences on his
sleeve, and the gals are up to the task of faithfully recreating that classic ’60s
Motown/Beach Boys/girl group sound. Highlights include the cuddly,
coochie-coo opener ‘You Make Loving You Easy’, all dripping in strings ’n’
treacle; the Neil Sedaka-on-helium giddiness of ‘Baby Be Mine’; the country-pop
sashay of ‘Kiss You In The Summertime’; and the harmony-driven, Spectorish
‘Don’t Call Me Baby’.
Dobie’s
voice is still on the cusp of adulthood, so there’s an honest-to-goodness
childlike quality to her delivery that falls somewhere between Betty Boop and
vintage Rachel Sweet, who recorded her Stiff debut when she was also 15.
Dobie’s voice is perfectly suited to Moore’s soft, sentimental pop tunes, and
although they occasionally verge into easy listening territory, fans of girl
groups, and classic ’60s radio hits from Jackie, Dusty, Lesley et al will
find a lot to enjoy.
Jeff Penczak
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