Tuesday 7 December 2010

The Savings and Loan - Today I Need Light


I don't really listen to many bloggers when it comes to what to listen to, but I have a few exceptions. Matthew from Song, By Toad is usually someone who I find my tastes align with on most things (but not all things), so it was strange that despite him raving about The Savings and Loan for nearly two years my first introduction to them was only a few months ago at their house gig. It was certainly a case of preconceived notions being blown out the water as the Edinburgh/Glasgow duo are nothing like I anticipated. Whilst I was gripping myself for some dirty fuzzy rock (which was really based on nothing more than Matthew's token taste) I was greeted with some of the most delicate and beautifully constructed songs I've heard in a long time. This, thankfully, transfers amazingly well on their debut album 'Today I Need Light'.

There is an amazing symbiosis between the duo as it seems that multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bush creates these wonderfully patient soundscapes as a back-drop for lead singer Martin Donnelly's world-weary and imaginative lyrics. From the very start 'Today I Need Light' seems to mix despair with beauty and 'Swallows' announces this emphatically; "time will pass/time will leave you all alone/with only swallows passing by" . This is the one of the benefits you get from having a seasoned poet (Donnelly) teaming up with a seasoned musician (ex-De Rosa and professional sound engineer), another is that the record just oozes with effortless class. A tortured darkness spines all the way through each song but there is never a case of malaise from listening. Songs such as 'Catholic Boys in the Rain' and 'Pale Water' definitely show the bands Cohen-esque tendencies, combining both folk with a sense of dreamy apprehension. The highlight of the entire album is closer 'A Pleasing Companion'. It really sums up the whole album so well; a classy, dark and beautiful lullaby. That is basically what these songs are, adult versions of lullabies, in the sense that they lull you into a sense of comfort while actually having rather dark subject matter that I'm sure everyone can relate to. "I hope you find me a pleasing companion/and someone to waste an hour with in a bar".

'Today I Need Light' is nothing like I anticipated, but the reality trumps my expectations as it is nothing short of wonderful.


The Savings and Loan - Swallows by Song, by Toad

The Savings and Loan - Pale Water by Song, by Toad

'Today I Need Light' is out not via Song, Toad Records.

21 comments:

  1. Superb blog post, I have book marked this internet site so ideally I’ll see much more on this subject in the foreseeable

    ReplyDelete
  2. IF YOU NEED LOAN AND DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO GET IT FROM THEN CONTACT ZKLOP LOAN SERVICE TODAY VIA ZKLOP_OC@YAHOO.COM FOR MORE INFOR

    ReplyDelete
  3. The matter that you provide is worth our time and energy.
    payday loans

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have been searching for hours and I haven’t found such awesome work.
    click here

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your articles are purely enough for me.
    freecreditreport

    ReplyDelete
  6. I feel ecstatic I found you website and blogs.
    unsecured loans online

    ReplyDelete
  7. The substance you are penning blows out my nous.
    loandirectorysg

    ReplyDelete
  8. I’m inspired with the surpassing and preachy listing that you furnish in such little timing.
    quickcredit

    ReplyDelete
  9. Your work is totally appreciative and informative.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I like all details that you provide in your articles.
    short term loans

    ReplyDelete
  11. This is a great blog post. Thank you very much for the fantastic insight and we really appreciate the time you took to write this Neopet Paint Brushes | http://www.topmovietrailers.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
  12. That’s a great site you folks have been carrying out there.
    Reclaim PPI

    ReplyDelete
  13. World of Warplanes developer Wargaming.net put a special April Fools' Day surprise in all players' hangars: playable UFOs, the studio announced today.The massively multiplayer online air combat game now offers flying saucers — for one day. The Tier 5 German Kampfflugplatte Sleipnir I UFO, which emits laser beams, is available to play until 5 a.m. ET tomorrow, April 2.
    Cheap Runescape 2007 Gold

    RS 3 Gold

    ReplyDelete
  14. In order to make cremes, you'll need to get the dishes on their behalf.Because you uncover much more quality recipes, you can create

    a more substantial various creams along with far better talents nevertheless , you need to collect the actual dollars on the way to

    be able to invite this creams for being manufactured.This is a small diverse device towards solid running game genre.Since Bony the

    Athlete is for the Mobage program, it is possible to get the game at no cost and, if you'd like a improve, you'll be able to optin

    for an ingame acquire or a couple of. elo boost
    elo

    boosting

    ReplyDelete
  15. Always so interesting to visit your site.What a great info, thank you for sharing. this will help me so much in my learning loan

    ReplyDelete
  16. Great post but I was wondering if you could write a little more on this subject? I’d be very thankful if you could elaborate a little bit further. Thanks in advance! payday loans news

    ReplyDelete
  17. I admire what you have done here. I like the part where you say you are doing this to give back but I would assume by all the comments that this is working for you as well. title pawn Atlanta

    ReplyDelete
  18. Your articles are very well written and unique. webgl configurator

    ReplyDelete
  19. George Finance loan firm helped me achieve my project funding with the interest of 2% rate in return for loan amount of 500,000.00 Euro to finance my project and it was very fast and secure so I will advise anyone here looking for loans or investors to contact on WhatsApp:+17072613058 Email: georgefinance0@gmail.com
    Thank you

    ReplyDelete