Slow Club Arrive

Sheffield's own Slow Club have taken the long road to get their butt's over here but they've finally managed to do it and found themselves smack dab here in the States with their latest album and first Moshi Moshi domestic release, Yeah, So. Already out in the UK and having heaps of praise lapped upon it, the album is a beautiful blend of Mates of State love pop stacked on top of folky twee pop that should see itself charming the socks off of hipsters across the country.

While structured a bit like the White Stripes, Charles plays guitar and Rebecca bashes drums, Slow Club have a bit more depth than their peers and as a result have a far more dynamic range that allows their songs to be a bit more complicated. That's a good thing because it matches the emotional rollercoaster that goes along with the lyrics on Yeah, So. As with so many dusty and dear records Yeah, So is all about heartache and all the trouble that goes along with being in some sort of relationship, romantic or otherwise. Judging by the titles of the songs alone, it's easy to see this is not the feel good hit of the winter. "There Is No Good Way To Say I Am Leaving Your," "Because We're Dead," "Sorry About The Doom," all paint a rather grey picture of the world around Slow Club and despite how happy they sound you kind of have to wonder if they don't need a hug. Whether or not Charles and Rebecca were something more than bandmates isn't known, but judging by the songs they've written, they certainly sound like they've been in some "fun," relationships over the years.

What's truly amazing about all this is that despite the constant rocky road that Slow Club travel, they manage to package it all into something that's lilting, sincere, and often times, intimate. It's that versatility that makes listening to Yeah, So such a fantastic experience. Yeah, So is a beautiful record that has it's highs and low's but never loses sight of what will make it or break it; the songs. Far from being like any of the more popular duo's out there Slow Club offer a completely different perspective that's in touch with it's pop sensibility while still being incredibly profound and sweet. Yeah, So as a result is the closest thing to a nervous breakdown, breakup, let down, emotionally challenging experience you're likely to hear this year...and that's a good thing. Throw in a bonus disc with nine tracks that weren't on the original UK release and you have one heck of a special record.