The Superimposers were responsible for a fine debut album in 2005. It trod a clever line between early Beach Boys and 1960′s easy listening music. Apart from a stopgap demos album (released by their old label), the duo of Miles Copeland and Dan Warden have taken a while to release a proper follow-up. Once again it’s a short record but just like their own label shows, they really do make a Wonderful Sound.
The first half of the record doesn’t even offer a weak moment. Sure, the nostalgia is there for all to see but The Superimposers are masters of production as well as songwriters. ‘The Northern Song’ contrasts melancholic verses with a euphoric chorus perfectly, ‘Make It All Better’ contains some splendid Beatles-inspired harmonies whilst ‘Autumn Falls’ is such an aparently simple but great song that it’s a miracle no one thought of it before. Then there’s the glorious filmic ‘Golden’; another heart-stopping moment reached as verse switches to chorus.
Slightly disappointingly, the second half of the record is only sporadically great as the formula starts to run dry. Of the highlights though, ‘Kicking Around’ revolves around a hypnotic guitar line and a sun-kissed tune and ‘Special’ makes full use of some angelic vocal effects. Yet despite the tail-off in quality as the album progresses, ‘Harpsichord Treacle’ is a lovely, colourful pop record.
Web Sites:
Wonderful Sound Label Site
The Superimposers MySpace
Further Listening:
Arnold, The Beach Boys
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