The work of July Skies and Epic45 complement each other so well that it seems nonsensical that they should not show up on each others’ records. Both capture a rarified sense of nostalgia; the kind which longs for the innocence of summer holidays and a simplistic life. Yet in Antony Harding’s case, the nostalgia is the type he cannot recollect himself since he was born several decades after the Second World War (the inspiration for 2004’s ‘The English Cold’) and the samples featured on ‘The Weather Clock’ also hark back to a time before his own, namely post-war Britain in the 1950’s. Yet through research and his skills in capturing atmospheres of a bygone age, Harding has barely put a foot wrong on his unique musical path. ‘The Weather Clock’ and its companion EP once again features the talents of Epic45’s Ben Holton and Rob Glover and it’s no surprise that both releases contain magical moments that are both respectful of history and sonically gorgeous.
With its delayed guitar effects, ‘Branch Line Summers Fade’ sounds like the kind of experiment Eyeless In Gaza delivered in their heyday. Beautiful moments occur as the unashamedly pretty ‘Distant Showers Sweep Across Norfolk Schools’ segues into the melancholic piano piece ‘Waiting For The Test Card’. Of the song-based material, the pick for me is the blissful ‘Girl On The Hill’; a definite highlight where acoustic and effects-laden guitars provide the perfect backing for the shy, lovelorn vocals of Harding. My spine also tingled when I heard ‘See Britain By Train’; an instrumental offering which is just the perfect accompaniment for a pleasant sight-seeing trip on the railways, both in terms of pace and its wistful evocation of England’s green and pleasant land. The last track features a reading of a poem by Edna Taylor, which would sound crass in lesser hands but here it delivers a poignant, touching finale.
The EP could almost be classed as a proper album itself as it is only ten minutes shorter than ‘The Weather Clock’. However, since it contains alternative versions of the album tracks, it’s best viewed as a companion piece. That’s not to dismiss this EP as a “fans only” release though. In the case of the song called ‘The Weather Clock’, Harding arguably finds his most brilliant moment; its repeated melody a stunning piece of romantic longing whilst the lyric of “Don’t you know how much it hurts, when the pain breaks my heart” is genuinely affecting. Otherwise, Harding goes for the experimental approach with fascinating (but not superior) versions of ‘See Britain By Train’ and ‘Girl On The Hill’ although the harrowing wall of sound employed on ‘Harlow’ is unlikely to be used by the tourist board of the Essex town anytime soon.
Web Sites:
July Skies Official Site
July Skies MySpace
Make Mine Music Label Site
Further Listening:
Epic45, Durutti Column, Eyeless In Gaza
I’ve only just got round to listening to Epic45’s last album, its abasolutely immense. So warm and very timeless. Did you review it??
What Eyeless in Gaza would you recommend as a good starting point? I’ve dabbled an ear into their music on a few occasions, but always been put off by the vocals. Maybe I’ve been looking (and listening) in the wrong places…?