Left With Pictures – Every Stitch, Every Line (Organ Grinder)
If there’s one thing you mightn’t level at Left With Pictures, it’s that they have an identikit sound. With this latest single, the first from their forthcoming album, they’ve begun to settle into themselves a little. Their Secretly EP saw them hitting a stride, each recording a vignette of sweetness, intrigue and devilish complexity, and it’s a fantastic thrill to see that this has now become their benchmark. Every Stitch, Every Line is a totally charming musing on the nature of newness and authenticity – “Every slide… they’ve all been tried…” sings Stuart Barter, finishing off by saying that “there’s a gang who are ahead of you, but you’re very far behind…” Such knowledge of the nature of creativity will stand them in good stead for the future and, hopefully, make them aware of how hard they’ll have to work to match this.
The b-side, Her Father’s Nose, takes a more traditionally romantic form, but is still effortlessly quirky. The plopping piano in particular accentuates Barter’s odd lyrics that describe himself as both a singer and a swine. Again, the arrangements are divine, although a little simpler, and totally in keeping with the hyper-personal sentiments. It’s a real joy that, like We Clutched on the Secretly EP, the arrangements are being tailored to the increasingly interesting and engaging verbal constructs, be they lusting or wistful or joyous. A great sign for the forthcoming album.
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