Bill Pritchard:
Mother Town Hall:
Tapete:
LP/CD:
Out March 4th 2016:
Following on from 2014's triumphant Trip to the Coast, Bill's first new album for roughly ten years, comes this relatively speedy sequel. Whereas its predecessor was primarily concerned with travel, Mother Town Hall centres itself on his hometown of Stoke. Cobridge gets a mention, the album was recorded in Burslem and some of the people name-checked throughout are no doubt inspired by one or two neighbourhood characters.
For the most part, Mother Town Hall is pure Pritchard. Stories abound, insanely memorable choruses and some lush orchestration all woven together to produce what sounds like his best since 1990's Jolie. Opener Saturn and Co is all open-topped sports cars, retro eyewear and a nod to the likes of Temples and The Lilac Time, while Mont St Michel will almost certainly curry favour with Pritchard's keenest Francophile audiences across the English Channel.
Breezy jangle-pop abounds on the resplendent 15a Holy Street and the sprightly Heaven, but the real gem on here is the infectious brassy Victorious, the sort of song you wish would fill our airwaves instead of the trite pretenders around today. As for September Haze, you'd swear you've known this tune for years upon first listen, such is it's woozy gait.
Twelve songs, simply produced, none of them filler - why is Bill Pritchard still not a household name?
★★★★★★★★☆☆
Mother Town Hall:
Tapete:
LP/CD:
Out March 4th 2016:
For the most part, Mother Town Hall is pure Pritchard. Stories abound, insanely memorable choruses and some lush orchestration all woven together to produce what sounds like his best since 1990's Jolie. Opener Saturn and Co is all open-topped sports cars, retro eyewear and a nod to the likes of Temples and The Lilac Time, while Mont St Michel will almost certainly curry favour with Pritchard's keenest Francophile audiences across the English Channel.
Breezy jangle-pop abounds on the resplendent 15a Holy Street and the sprightly Heaven, but the real gem on here is the infectious brassy Victorious, the sort of song you wish would fill our airwaves instead of the trite pretenders around today. As for September Haze, you'd swear you've known this tune for years upon first listen, such is it's woozy gait.
Twelve songs, simply produced, none of them filler - why is Bill Pritchard still not a household name?
★★★★★★★★☆☆