Volumes can be said about this young quintet, St. Spirit, who seemed to pique the media’s interest with the anticipated release of their debut EP Pigeon. After coming across My Bloody Valentine’s seminal album — Loveless, these five friends from Crystal Palace (in South London) set out to prove their sound has a place in the kingdom of music. Listeners are led into a soft, mystifying abyss right from the album’s start, an absent-minded study which catches us by surprise. The improvident first track ‘Pigeon’ begins with a crawl which then accelerates to become a trendy cut complimented by sorrowful keys, energetic strings, droning drums, and muffled lyrics. In between tangled tones, American singer/songwriter Conor Oberst channels through St. Spirit frontman Myles McCabe’s soothing yet edgy delivery. From the beginning, you cannot help but notice there is more at work here than what fans expect. There is this mystic flavor looming over St. Spirit’s music, a sweet aftertaste which is left behind for fans to contemplate and decode.
“Honey I don’t think we can sweat this one out this time”, McCabe immerses himself in a problematic relationship on the album’s second track — ‘Sweat’. Calm guitars glide next to heavy-hearted humming, exaggerating the cut. Unlike the hastened single where a deliberate metaphor is used, ‘Sweat’ leaks onto Pigeon, establishing a somber attitude while evoking powerful emotions. Within this sudden rebirth, St. Spirit takes the EP to exciting levels while McCabe finds himself. It is tough to pinpoint when this happens but one thing remains true, and that is the atmosphere begins to tingle with supreme ecstasy. However, a fair and balanced argument can be made. If listening prompts an active role, one can hear traces of Nick Drake seeping through inconsolable cracks, serenading to his heart’s content.
At nineteen years of age, each member of this five-piece band find themselves rather settled into the umbrella term “indie rock”, bringing their dark embrace to the forefront. It would seem St. Spirit has been marked with a heroic sensitivity when creating song. True or not, their heightened attention to detail is close in rivaling modern day mainstreamers, as the band has produced a record which can stand on four solid legs. The EP carries a steady tone yet, at least by first impression, not one cut leads into the next. Pigeon is like starting over within the same project, evolving the overall idea until it becomes a standard. Nowhere is this opinion more valid than on the track, ‘New Skin’, a concrete example of contrasting tempos working together to achieve a common goal. Keys and accented guitars alongside a humming monotonous chorus force the listener to partake in all that is going on, transitioning amidst relaxed and aggressive volume pitches.
To think a journey began not long ago with a cordial exchange between Myles McCabe and guitarist Sam Robson setting the stage for this brash ensemble, St. Spirit winds down the record borrowing concepts from My Bloody Valentine. Clocking in just shy of five minutes, ‘Tooth And Nail’ brings a transonic vibe to this tactical EP, painting a reflective environment of which cannot be altered.
Once the music ceases and ears are allowed to drift, there will be those loyal fanatics who may not understand what transpired, even if they too were fornicating luscious intonations. Some might not even bother reading through these opinionated paragraphs or drawing assumptions, only caring about a quick overview. If that is the case, all anyone should expect of this debut is a record which emits good music, lending credit to a cherished and often solemn atmosphere conceived around a healthy infatuation with 1980s Alternative rock. Keep in mind, however, if Leonard Cohen and company did not exist, neither would the familiar sounds of today.
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
“Honey I don’t think we can sweat this one out this time”, McCabe immerses himself in a problematic relationship on the album’s second track — ‘Sweat’. Calm guitars glide next to heavy-hearted humming, exaggerating the cut. Unlike the hastened single where a deliberate metaphor is used, ‘Sweat’ leaks onto Pigeon, establishing a somber attitude while evoking powerful emotions. Within this sudden rebirth, St. Spirit takes the EP to exciting levels while McCabe finds himself. It is tough to pinpoint when this happens but one thing remains true, and that is the atmosphere begins to tingle with supreme ecstasy. However, a fair and balanced argument can be made. If listening prompts an active role, one can hear traces of Nick Drake seeping through inconsolable cracks, serenading to his heart’s content.
