Search - South :: From Here on in

Melancholy Rock on Mo'Wax??

Eric S. | Boston, MA USA | 04/10/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"If you've been paying any sort of attention in the past 10 years, you'd know that the very last thing the label Mo'Wax is known for is gee-tar muzik. Usually, we're treated to the dope beatz ala Unkle or DJ Shadow, etc. So, South mark something of a departure for James Lavelle and his motley crew. Sure, some beatz are there (check the "broken head" tracks), but mostly this is a vintage melancholy rock album. Sometimes, it sounds like early Stone Roses, and in other places it's more like a tribute to the late 70's. That said, however, the album on the whole is gorgeously produced and comes together like something subtely new. This is a recommended listen for music lovers across the board -- headz and folk-rockers unite! (sorry about spelling errors -- i did this in 3 minutes tops)"

... it's all good music

E. A Solinas | MD USA | 02/05/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"South may be the most underrated Brit-rock band in existance, with only the Doves contending as well for that title. Certainly they deserve more attention than they have received, with their mellow brand of Stone-Rosian rock and creative use of guitars and electronic sweeps. Their debut, "From Here On In," has a creative polish that most bands can just dream about on their first outing.



What they create is basically swirling pop melodies with a slightly darker undercurrent, and a backdrop of lush electronic beats. The downright beautiful "Paint the Silence" is a good example, with a solid guitar'n'percussion thing going, but behind it are those dreamy beats and waves.



Elsewhere they take a more acoustic sound, such as the slightly ominous "Keep Close" or the eerie "I Know What You're Like," with its banjo-ey guitar. Then it's to songs like "Broken Head II," one of three experimental numbers, an eerie instrumental where the the haunting sonic waves take precedence over the wham-bam percussion, no matter how loud the drums get.



South is still a young band, and they were still sort of feeling their way through in "From Here On In" -- at times the songs can be monotonous musically, although still very engaging. You can hear hints of bands like Happy Mondays and the Stone Roses -- especially the Stone Roses, who are an acknowledged influence, but the Stone Roses if they had been wrapped up with a heavy dose of synth from some expert DJs.



Musically, the guys from South seem to be capable of anything -- moody indie-rock, trippy atmospherics, emo moans, and any imaginable blend of the above. When you strip away the keyboards and loops, the solid guitars and heavy basslines are still lurking there. They have some pretty solid drumbeats, which are usually pretty snappy and flexible; the keyboards and guitars have the rare quality of getting all melted together, so that at times it's hard to tell what precisely is building up musically.



Joel Cadbury doesn't have a great voice -- it's a bit out-there, in that great way that some rockers have. He's not fighting the music for the front position; he sounds like he's just a part of it all. And he throws some intense emotion into the moody, melancholy music -- the lyrics are a bit above average, but the way they are delivered makes them sound very strong and atmospheric. ("I'm gonna be there when your soul comes down/I see you running on your own intentions...")



While South was still growing into its excellent sound in "From Here On In," their polish and exuberance show them to be a musical force to be reckoned with -- especially with the release of their outstanding sophomore album. Keep rockin', boys."