The Simple Carnival – Girls Aliens Food

The debut album from The Simple Carnival is simply delightful. It starts with Really Really Weird, which has some beautiful harmonies, and lies somewhere between the Beach Boys and one of those delightfully MOR tunes from the seventies. I still can’t shake the Beach Boys influence on Keeping It Quiet, albeit nicely coupled with some easy listening. Oddly enough when he hits a summer song, Caitlin’s On The Beach, he move away from the aforementioned influence, this being more reminiscent of Squeeze, but somewhat less frantic. Cocktails is oddly affecting easy listening wine bar music. Nothing Will Ever Be As Good is the most beautiful a capella tune, fantastic harmonies and melancholic, yet uplifting. Over Coffee and Tea is like the Beach Boys to a bossa nova beat, You Jump First is more standard indie pop, but so well written and catchy and Effortlessly is a sun kissed lament.

Girls Aliens Food is out now on Sundrift Records

The Simple Carnival website