PS I Love You - Meet Me At The Muster Station (Album Review)
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
Written by Emma Newlyn
Listening to PS I Love You's debut album, 'Meet Me at the Muster Station', you'd be easily fooled into thinking you're listening to a four or five piece band. It came as a surprise to me then, to learn that this 'band' consists of only two people. I felt I needed to go and see PS I Love You in action, so when The Great Escape festival brought them to Brighton, I found myself inches away from a sweaty frontman Paul Saulnier and drummer Benjamin Nelson. What was intended to be an outlet for Saulnier's experimental pop songs - using loop pedals and synthesizers - was transformed in to an exciting experimental garage rock band with the addition of drummer Nelson and some seriously anthemic songs.
Live; Saulnier belts out the set, while simultaneously using a Moog Taurus bass synthesizer pedal to create deep buzzing bass lines and playing intricate guitar lines.
The debut album from this Canadian duo doesn't differ too much from the live sound. The album does sound more like a demo spontaneously recorded at a rehearsal than a professionally recorded album, but in an age of over produced pop songs, this should be welcomed with open arms.
First track 'Meet Me at the Muster Station' shows off Paul Saulniers sometimes indecipherable but always emotional vocals and catchy guitar lines. '2012' is clearly the single track from the album, the melodic guitar line makes this song unmistakably recognizable from the beginning, while 'CBEZ' is a moodier track with swirling synths backing up a strong guitar driven song.
Little Spoon is accessibly lo-fi and indie; the vocals sound exasperated and naturally full of passion. This seems to be a more vocally centered song, the guitar parts are still driving yet detailed, and the analogue synth still lends its self tastefully to the track - but there seems to be more in the way of focused songwriting here.
'Butterflies and Boners' is a soaring anthemic song, with harmonized guitar tapping and wailing vocals from what seems like a number of voices, this is sure to be a crowd favourite at future shows.
'Scattered' has that unmistakable 'PS I Love You' sound with layers of synths, guitars and crashing drums, and 'Facelove' is a surprisingly pretty tune from a band who have so far seemed so ballsy, but wait 'til you're half way through, and Paul Saulnier's brilliant guitar work is really shown off.
'Get Over' is a cool bassy track, surrounded by echoing vocals and a thumping riff, which splits the song in to sparse reverb coated verses, and riff based, dance inducing electro rock.
Last track 'Meet Me at the Muster Station pt. 2' gives some yelping, howling closure to this gem of an album, and there we have it; the seemingly simple, yet intricately woven sound of 'Meet Me at the Muster Station' is one that needs to be heard by anyone needing a breath of fresh air from the pop charts.
Album Rating: 8/10
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Live; Saulnier belts out the set, while simultaneously using a Moog Taurus bass synthesizer pedal to create deep buzzing bass lines and playing intricate guitar lines. 
