28th June - The Posies' Every Kind of Light

Artist – Album: The Posies – Every Kind of Light

Released:  28^th June 2005

Sounds Like: The not-so-rosey Posies

The Posies come with some reputation – likened to the Hollies and Big Star, and being one of the pioneers of the nineties power-pop revival (possibly my favourite genre of all), it seems that the Posies at their pomp would have been right up my alley. Unfortunately, I was just a touch too young and too British to have known them at their best before they announced their break up in 1999. Andddd fortunately, they didn’t really mean it (those guys!), and after performing gigs over the following years they went ahead and released their sixth studio album in 2005.

With the new album came something of a new lineup, with perennial Poseurs Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow joined by newbies Matt Harris and Darius Minwalla; although through the years Posie bassists and drummers appear to have been employed on a revolving door basis anyway so it wasn't really all that different. Nope, I’m afraid to report that the biggest change was the loss of that spark that made them special.

They’re clearly happy to be back – they announce as much on the opening track ‘It’s Great to be Here Again’ – and the album does have its moments of magic. ‘I Guess You’re Right’ and ‘Love Comes’, both of which came free on Windows Vista weirdly, come at the catchy chorus from different angles, one biting, one sunny, but with equally impressive results. ‘Could He Treat You Better?’ is political but poppy, whilst the best track is ‘Second Time Around’ which bounces along heavy rock guitars and Foo Fighters-esque beats. The rest of the songs are a bit dull to be perfectly honest.

Ultimately the album doesn’t quite hit the spot, but it promises enough to merit forays into their more highly decorated earlier works. And I will do just that!

Albumaday... rating:  6/10

1.       It’s Great to be Here Again – 3:58

2.       Conversations – 4:44

3.       All in a Day’s Work – 4:20

4.       I Guess You’re Right – 3:32

5.       Anything and Everything – 3:41

6.       Second Time Around – 3:35

7.       Last Crawl – 4:26

8.       Could He Treat You Better? – 4:05

9.       Love Comes – 3:19

10.   I Finally Found a Jungle I Like!!! – 3:14

11.   That Don’t Fly – 4:38

12.   Sweethearts of Rodeo Drive – 6:21

Listen to ‘Love Comes’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X78TDlqNiho