Adam Franklin - Bolts of Melody (Album)
» Adam Franklin - Oxford Art Factory, NSW - February 16, 2008
» Adam Franklin - Drivin' on his own. - Zoo, The, QLD - February 15, 2008
One of the things I truly love about reviewing for The Dwarf is you never know what your’re going to get album wise and I have had the opportunity to listen to and review albums that have both broadened my mind and musical palate this album being one of them!
That said one of the most underrated bands of the nineties in my opinion was British outfit Swervedriver and for those of you unaware Adam Franklin was their song writer/frontman. Bolts of Melody is Adam Franklin’s first album under his own name but his seventh release since the demise of Swervedriver. This album is rarely laid back in a magical mystery tour kind of way! It incorporates a multi-layered chorus of guitars swirling around the melodies and Adam’s soulful vocals. There are many influences displayed from garage bands to psychedelia groups encompassed in a guitar pop feel.
The album gets going with hooky guitar overload ‘Seize the Day’. The following songs are somewhat more subdued by comparison but together lead the listener down a yellow brick road or up a magical tree (what ever tickles your fancy or fantasies) of melancholy indie rock balladry. Guitars are the piece de resistance on Bolts of Melody showcasing a kaleidoscope of guitar sounds. However the guitar heroics never eclipse the songs. Rocky ‘Shining Somewhere’, the delicately stirring ‘Birdsong’ and ‘Theme from LSD’ are all good tracks (the later two are previously released tracks reworked). ‘Morning Rain’ is heartfelt and beautiful and ‘Walking in Heavens Foothills’ kookily great. The acoustic tracks on the album provide a nice respite from the faster paced songs.
It’s very hard to put this album into any particular genre but its shining somewhere (excuse the pun) between country-rock and psychedelia with a garage rock/lo-fi sound. In closing it is an album full of warm tender songs with a myriad of great guitar sounds perfect for lying in a hammock soaking up both the awesome guitar licks and Mother Nature’s glorious sunrays!
