Pugwash
(Ape House)
Although Dublin's Pugwash have been around for a decade or so now, most of their work has been distributed only in Ireland. This compilation finally introduces the band to the wider world. Its tracks handpicked by Andy Partridge and released on his Ape House label, Giddy draws from the first four Pugwash albums (Almond Tea, Almanac, Jollity and Eleven Modern Antiquities).
Partridge's interest in Pugwash is hardly surprising: they're a band after his own heart, partaking of a melodic power-pop tradition with roots in the Beatles, the Kinks, the Zombies, Honeybus and the Beach Boys and stretching through the '70s and '80s to the likes of ELO and Partridge's own XTC. Pugwash main man and songwriter Thomas Walsh (one half of the Duckworth Lewis Method, along with Neil Hannon) has clearly studied the foundational texts attentively and is a master in the art of the harmony-rich, hook-laden pop tune. He also recognizes the importance of using the right tools to get the job done, Pugwash's instrumental arsenal boasting all manner of gear that ensures maximum authenticity: Hammond, harpsichord, Wurlitzer, flugelhorn, banjo, vibraphone, Mellotron, Chamberlin and more.
Paradoxically, the distinctly retro sounds associated with this sort of instrumental roster have become the leitmotifs of timeless pop. Pugwash add to that particular tradition with bouncy, perfectly formed tunes like "Apples," the endearingly vacuous "Nice to Be Nice," the love song-cum-meditation on modes of transportation, "Monorail," and "Two Wrongs," which evokes "I Am the Walrus" via Oasis. While these songs are instantly memorable, some of Pugwash's strongest numbers are actually less playful and lightweight, such as "Cluster Bomb," an ornate exercise in chamber-pop melancholia, featuring Neil Hannon on zither and a string arrangement by XTC's David Gregory. Also outstanding are tracks exhibiting a slightly darker, harder edge, like the big and crunchy "Anyone Who Asks" and "Black Dog": catchy but not twee and more bittersweet than sugary, these are tunes that E of Eels would kill for.
Offering an excellent introduction to Pugwash's work that underscores Walsh's versatility as a songwriter, Giddy is an appealing calling card for fans of well-wrought, psychedelically tinged power-pop.
Standout Tracks: "Apples," "Black Dog," "Cluster Bomb," "Anyone Who Asks" WILSON NEATE
