MARK CROZER & THE RELS
Mark Crozer & The Rels
Mark Crozer & The Rels’ debut album comes in a sleeve that
leans heavily on ’60s visual styling, yet the music they make is anything but
derivative retro pop. What you get is a post-modern re-imagining of ’60s pop
passed through an ’80s filter. I guess that makes it post-post-modern. But the ’80s
were rubbish, weren't they? Well if all you listened to was Jennifer Rush and
Spandau Ballet then yes – the ’80s were rubbish. But there was plenty of good
music to draw inspiration from.
Crozer and co have taken the best bits of powerpop and The
Paisley Underground, mixed that with early Primal Scream, Lightning Seeds and
the Pale Saints, added some jangly indie-pop guitars and made a delicious confection
that gets better with every listen. Twenty years ago these guys would have been
riding high in the indie charts and, if we lived in a fair world, they'd be
making waves in the charts today.
This is timeless guitar-driven pop that lifts the soul like a
flash of blue sky on a cloudy day. If you like your pop on the sunny side with
an indie twist, this album is for you. There really isn't a duff track on it
and there aren't many bands that can claim that distinction these days.
John Blaney
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