Wake up! It’s the Sky Diving Penguins. Album review

2021 has been a funny year for music, certainly in my musical tastes, as a large part of it has been dipped in rich psychedelic chocolate loveliness.

Starting the year off with the McCartney type sounds of Teenage Waitress I was then flying high with the full on, out there Lennon meets Floyd Space rock of John Michie Collective. Then we had new grooves from Sunzoom and the more hard psych of Mondo Trasho. With just enough time to listen to the classic 60s sounds of The Poppermost and The Mariners.

The year ending with The Shop Window and Moonlight Parade chucking their paisley hats/breton shirts into the mix rekindling early sounds of Status Quo and The Velvet Underground.

Oh and that was all before The Beatles decided to own the year and show everyone how it’s done.

But 2021 isn’t finished, what’s that falling from the sky? just in time to tickle my ears with harmonies, strings, horns and songs about I assume isolation, depression, migraines and other such delicate subjects. Written and led by Georgian Gia Lashvili and joined by his many friends.

The Sky Diving Penguins have finally landed after been stuck in departures for 20 years by all accounts…but was it worth the late arrival?

The answer is a fantastically joyous yes. Starting the interest off with the beautiful, best song ELO never made. I dont want, I dont care is a piano laden, strings n things epic that carefully massages your earlobes and is a contender for song of the year surely. But don’t let this easy listening charm deceive you, as up next it’s the grungetastic Serotonin which owes as much to the likes of Nirvana and Pixies as it does to The Beatles. And this is the albums mastroke – each song is pefectly chosen to gives you the feels for all your favourite artists but does something new with it.

Some songs like Haiting Waiting and All goes back in the box in the end have a brilliant mix of Radiohead (when they wrote tunes) and Crosby, Stills & Nash, In fact its like Crosby, Stills, Nash & Yorke if you will.

None of the songs outstay their welcome and Run Boy which is just over 2 minutes long brings back thoughts of what The Boo Radleys would of sounded like after their awesome Giant Steps album if they’d missed the Brit-Pop bus.

Depressed or Bored and Headache will cause migraines are clearly about mental health and in a year(s) where mental health problems have been front and centre for many – these songs resonate and give you that warm feeling that a good serotonin hit does.

The album ends with the more out there Tripping #9 which is like all the previous songs wrapped up into one – its really rather brilliant and a great way to end the album.

And before you know it, this little trip has weaved it way into you thoughts as contender for album of the year – I’m sure the SDP’s will be making lots of friends over the next few months as people get to hear and share the album.

Personal thanks goes out to Joe Adhemar who told me to listen to them – I’m very glad he did.

Shine on you crazy Sky Diving Penguins

The album is out now and available at the bands own website:

https://skydivingpenguins.com/home

Or on their Bandcamp Page

https://skydivingpenguins.bandcamp.com/music

The band and musicians are:

Gia Iashvili: Guitar, Bass, Mouth Organ, Electric Piano, Percussion & Vocals
Dimitri Oganesian: Drums
Kote Kalandadze: Acoustic Guitar (I Don’t Want, I Don’t Care), Electric Guitar (Hating Waiting & Tripping #9)
Nika Kocharov: Electric Guitar (Serotonin)
Tiko Kvaliashvili: Flute (This Is Breaking Me Apart & Headaches Will Cause Migraines)
Vako Saatashvili: Trumpet (I Don’t Want, I Don’t Care. Hating Waiting & About One Hermit)
Beka Berikishvili: French Horn (I Don’t Want, I Don’t Care & About One Hermit)
Evgenyi Inchagov: Cello (I Don’t Want I Don’t Care, This is Breaking Me Apart, Hating Waiting, About One Hermit & Headaches Will Cause Migraines)
Maria Charkseliani: Backing Vocals

Let me know what you think.

PNL

Michael