There are few things as disappointing as a rubbish band with a beguiling or thought-provoking moniker. You see the record cover, you’re enchanted by the clever or intriguing name. You think to yourself, “How can a band with a name like The Shameful Wedding Reception Incident be anything other than wonderful?!”. It makes it all the more emotionally and spiritually crushing, then, to discover the music is bobbins.

Tiny Dancers is an interesting handle. Nothing extraordinary admittedly, but one that at least prompts immediate guesswork as to what the band in question are actually like. An Elton John tribute act? A midget line-dancing troupe? The answers to both of those guesses are in the negative (there is no link to the gap-toothed irritant’s song of a similar name; the words just “felt right”, apparently. And there’s not a vertically-challenged groover to be seen).

Instead, they’re a Sheffield-based five-piece collective who, with Free School Milk, have created an ambitions, richly fashioned debut - one that hints at a far longer existence than a band who only formed in 2005.

Album opener 20 to 9 starts with a dense, rolling drumbeat which gives way to Pavement-esque guitars. The track builds into an alt-pop epic as singer David Kay exasperatedly implores: "I am full of holes, light will fall through me. I can not be what I’m told".

I Will Wait For You is a fantastic, oven-ready summer classic, fully of crunchy guitars, bouncy bass lines and satisfying ‘ooh-ooh’s’. It’s the type of song tailor-made for a sunny summer festival hosted by Steve Jones and that dark haired girl.

The album, ostensibly at least, is home to two separate camps. The catchy, country-tinged pop numbers nestle snugly beside the more slow-burning, twinkly ballads. The record was seemingly built for a camping trip; the hook-laden rockers ideal for a lager-drenched sing-a-long in the sun, with the more ambitious, hushed compositions going hand in hand with a reflective laze by the fireside, with nary but a sky full of stars and the hint of a hangover to accompany the gliding melodies.

It’s a not-too-shabby feat for a debut to sound as tight and focused as Free School Milk. This accomplishment, no doubt, owes a considerable debt to the production skills of John Leckie. There’s not an ounce of fat on the record - not a single note or post-production bleep that doesn’t sound immediately necessary to the mood and structure of the song. The warmth and sweetness of the band’s countrified and sometimes folksy sound is formed with an immediately accessible pop sensibility. Singer Kay glues everything together with his honey-rich vocals - a smooth, southern fried voice that bears resemblance to Neil Diamond.

High spots include the acoustic jangle of Bonfire Of The Night and the gorgeous sparkle of Ashes and Diamonds. The highlight of Free School Milk, however, is unquestionably Hannah We Know. A beautiful, joyful nugget built around a melody as gloriously infectious as anything heard in this new wave of 21st century indie-pop. If there is any justice in this crazy old world, then the song will be a smash hit and feature on any number of summer compilations.

The success of most things is often down to timing. In this case, Tiny Dancers have played the release of their debut to perfection. Their lovely, sunburst melodies are completely in harmony with the oncoming summer season and, more importantly, the way the summer season makes us all feel.

Free School Milk is a fine debut album. The songs are wonderfully crafted and imbued with a real sense of character - not to mention a beyond-their-years confidence that breathes a sincerity and maturity into the music. While the album has a clutch of instant, ready-made singles, the more plaintive moments ensure that it is also a record that demands further revisits, each one offering further reward and a greater presence in the hummability stakes.

Tiny Dancers are certainly an exciting new entry into the pop landscape and a name to keep your eyes on. Not like those chancers from The Shameful Wedding Reception Incident.

Release date: 11/06/2007
Artist website: www.thetinydancers.com
Label: Parlophone

(0) comments - discuss in the forum