Once derided by music press for it’s overly stereotyped bretton shirt wearing skinny white boys with floppy hair, in recent years Jangle-pop has made a triumphant return to favour. This uplifting and life affirming sound with it’s history dating back to the late 50’s/early 60’s sound of the Everly brothers through to the masters of the jangle, The Byrd’s and onto the 80’s of Orange Juice and Haircut 100, rushing into the C86 scene to arrive at the 90’s where it was cranked up a notch by The House of Love and fuzzed by the likes of Teenage Fanclub and Ride before morphing into Shoegaze and Dreampop has found its place. It is now a fully accepted member of the indie music scene with new artists using it to great aplomb to continue it’s development.
At the forefront of new jangle are The Shop Window a band formed and founded in Maidstone by life long friends Carl and Syd, who are now set to release their 3rd album (a double nonetheless) on an eager and loyal fan base who embraced their first two full of bangers albums and proved jangle was here to stay.
Therefore as the wonderful titled DaysDream is about to be set loose into the world I took some time to listen and listen many times and eventually put my thoughts into this review.
DaysDream is a 16 Track album that was written mostly by head janglemeister Carl (with Syd co writing It’s a High & Cherry Lemondade), who not content with writing and playing on the songs decided it would be a great idea to record and produce it all as well. Joining him and Syd are the rest of the band Martin, Phil and new guy Paul whose added musical input features throughout the album. There is also additional backing from a mystery female vocal.
The outcome as mentioned is a 16 track luscious trip from the highs and lows of a changing world with side 1 (Days) focusing on a more upbeat Janglepop/Indiepop sound and side two (Dream) a more thoughtful and introspective sound including elements of Dreampop, Shoegaze and Psych.
The album kicks off in fine style the first 3 tracks are expansive and joyous as anything I’ve heard in a very long time. Album opener I Run is a perfect way to start, a statement of what is to come taking the best bits from The Cure at their poppiest, it’s a song that makes you want to back comb your hair, spray with hairspray and smudge your lipstick whilst you dance in circles on the dance floor. A brilliant riff and joyous harmonies mixing together to create a perfect sound.
Lady Luck swiftly follows, a slower paced song that has that late Byrd’s country feel about it, or even the classic All I Really Want To Do. It’s that good.
It’s a High takes you on a high (sorry), and as a previous single it’s feet are firmly in the summer and as I see fields all around me full of oil seed bursting into bloom it sounds just perfect. It even has added saxophone to mix up that jangle sound and is a masterstroke adding a further dimension to the uplifting feel.
What comes next are a group of songs that elevate the album even higher See Another Day is all psychedelic akin to Ride’s Magical Spring or would even sit proud on The Stone Roses debut.
Lost & Alone keeps the quality and interest piqued with a chorus and harmonies most bands can only (days) dream of.
Beyond the stars and Cherry Lemonade are easily the among the best two songs you’ve heard in a long time, fizzing with the type of pop that made indie so popular in the good old days.
Slowing the pace as we start to end the first side Live to Love & Love Your Life is beautiful, an ode to Carl’s Son but also for everyone with siblings with a message on how we should all go about our lives. The horns on this capture a Van Morrison/ Dexy’s feel that just makes your heart swell.
A note at this point to mention just how great the album manages to keep your attention through all its 16 tracks, it’s varied and interesting with a track listing that makes sure no song is left as a “filler”.
Lyrically Carl is on top form too, he is able to communicate such warmth and love in his lyrics but also deals with subjects like the passing of time and loss we all encounter through life with a positive message about how to continue and learn from it. This album has depth and soul something that maybe some jangle music has lacked before.
The lynchpin of the album is midway track Miracles, it’s positioning is genius as it ends side 1 and starts side 2. It might just be the best piece of music I’ve heard in years. You’ll love it.
So as the day ends and we slip into a dream like state we are welcomed by recent single Blues, I’ve read others say it reminds them of classic 90’s indie and they are right.
Loneliness and Who’s in Control is a further development on the Shoppies sound, acoustic mostly with wonderful keyboards and Syd’s excellent backing vocals, it can’t be understated the importance of the bands playing, they are all at the top of their game throughout the 16 tracks.
So whilst side 2 could be deemed a bit more downbeat by some (it isn’t), there’s still time for one more big old jangle banger and a rush to the sticky dancefloor.
Monochrome is anything but black and white, it burns red hot, a jangle riff to die for with a chorus to boot “day in day out”. The added organ sound trips you back to the Inspiral Carpets at times and again adds that extra wonder and punch to the sound.
At this point we enter the final 3 tracks which are like a mini album of their own akin to those dreams that twist and turn as thoughts blur into one another.
Early single A world where we remain sounds epic surrounded by the other songs wrapped around it, in many ways it’s my favourite song of theirs since Lighthouse, the production is of the highest order (like the rest of the album).
Happy Now is the penultimate song and this has a distinctly 80’s feel to it, similar to sounds that Siouxsie or The Creatures released during that time, if I knew my chords I could tell you what it’s in.
Final track Made In Heaven takes everything you’ve heard so far and sends us off into a blissful morning with it’s Velvets xylophone before it bursts into life with additional wonderful vocals by Mrs Shopwindow, that again surprise and beguile you.
As album closers go you can’t get much better.
Made in Heaven for sure and sent down to us all to love and cherish.
What The Shop Window have accomplished with this album is nothing short of outstanding, being brave enough in these times to create a 16 track album is one hell of a statement and in 3 albums they have already built a body of work that I personally feel rivals the best of anyone else I care to listen to and hold close to my heart.
Enjoy this album, find your favourite, play it loud, dance, sing, drift off to sleep to it, it’s all there.
One for the ages.
Peace n Love.
Michael.
Daysdream is released on the 3rd May 2024 on their own Jangleshop Records.
It is available to purchase via their Bandcamp Page (link below) so head over there now and pre-order. Available on Vinyl/CD and Digital – get them all.
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