Review of Soul Tired's CD "Headspin"

Soul Tired: Headspin

SoulTired, a four piece, have a clear objective. They aim to bring across their "frustration with life" via their common love for guitar music, and in so doing portray their discontentment with nice, clear uncluttered arrangements; in a way that the normal working class people can relate to.

"I walk the same streets night and day, Nothing changes they say you're here to stay, I wear the same shoes every day, Does it matter anyway?" opens up the CD, a gentle thought provoking number with a strong lyrical content, a simple arrangement. Headspin immediately achieves all objectives.

The whole CD allows you to visualise the setting - imagine old black and white film footage of children walking the streets, dreary back-to-back terraces - backed with some low minor-key music. Its slightly more upbeat so you don't get the full impact, more "an outsiders view" ... but if you can imagine the feeling you got from Soul Asylum when they released "Runaway Train". Imagine REM, when everything connects and you think "this is exactly how I'm feeling". Well this is close to how SoulTired make you feel. Just more up-beat.

The fact its got more of a upbeat nature to it drops you musically somewhere in Huckleberry Finn country, occasional harmonica, back porch American style. The fact that they are really discussing life in the Northern Industrial areas of England brings you right back home with the British touch.

"Yesterdays news forgotton anyway" begins the fourth track Tomorrow Comes, another track with that touch of country, not so much as to take over, but enough to allow the musical mix to give you something to listen to without being dragged by any one influence.

Yet another CD that I have enjoyed. Whether A&R will take to it as much as working class Leeds people will, I don't know, its doubtful though. But I liked it.

Find related articles: upbeat nature, soul asylum, huckleberry finn, clear objective, back porch.