Pocketbooks – Flight Paths

So Pocketbooks debut album arrives, much anticipated by people in certain circles. On Footsteps Emma’s voice sounds rather like Amelia Fletcher, which is a wonderful thing. That the tune is a chirpy keyboard driven slice of classic indie pop is an added bonus. It’s up there with any of the indie classics. On Fleeting Moments she’s more shrill, but no less affecting. Piano crashes all over the shop in a tune that’s a pick up tonic. Andy’s voice pops up in the middle, none more fey, but rather delightful. His voice is better rounded on Camera Angles, a song that crams lots of words into a small space and is literate, scrambling pop. The Outskirts Of Town is a song that mainly just showcases Emma’s voice; it’s brittle and despairing like some Saint Etienne moment. Cross The Line is beautiful Belle and Sebastian conversational tune while Skating On Thin Ice is a jazzy little show number, set in a darkened club where the band have aspirations of stardom. Sweetness And Light and I’m Not Going Out keep up the high quality of straight forward trill indie pop that we’re getting used to. It seems that they can knock these aces out in their sleep. Every Good Time We Ever Had has an electronic, cyclical quality that reminds me of an upbeat Stereolab. Paper Aeroplanes is another cracking frenetic pop tune as is the closing track All We Do Is Rush Around. If you love melodies and infectiously catchy tunes then this is your album.

Flight Paths is released on July 11th on How Does It Feel To Be Loved?
Pocketbooks website is here