The Shop Window – Blues

Maidstone outfit The Shop Window will release their latest single, ‘Blues,’ on March 29th via their imprint Jangleshop Records.

Artwork & image courtesy of the band.

The Shop Window, a band that has long been on the radar, is bidding farewell to their cult indie status by releasing their bluesy jingle-jangle ballad,' Blues.' This unique sound marks their transition from a niche indie band to one poised to captivate the masses.

Sarah’s Records' beauty effortlessly blends with Carl Mann’s Andy Bell circa ‘Vapour Trail’ vocal, and the stoned melodic joy of ’10 Story Love Songs’ is evident in their latest single,' Blues.' This bluesy shoegaze track cuts through the world's chaos with a purity that offers hope for change, making it a fitting sonic ode to avoiding conflict and restoring love.

The Maidstone outfit is on the brink of unveiling their third album, and if this single is any indication, it's shaping up to be a strong contender for record of the year.

Cast - Love Is The Call

Cast return this Friday with their seventh studio album ‘Love is the Call’. It’s their first in seven years and sees them hook up with legendary producer Youth at Space Mountain Studios in Spain.

*image and artwork courtesy of Fear PR.

Last time out on ‘Kick Up The Dust’, there were offshoots of peak Cast, but overall, it loitered outside of this realm and became an album for only the truly loyal fans. This time though, frontman John Power and their manager, Alan McGee, have both been very buoyant about Cast delivering something special.

Pre-order the album here.

In the main, they’re not wrong. ‘Love is the Call’ feels like a debut album yearning to be set free onto the world to make its mark. ‘Forever and Day’ chugs with the optimism of a wiser mindset which knows the pitfalls to avoid. As Power sings, “some things in life are destined to change / and for the first time in forever you have a smile on your face”, the feeling of the band’s anxieties and creative fears melting away are tangible. Power’s melody is as pure as anything he’s ever written. It’s juxtaposed with a reassuring vocal sternness, like a father figure nudging young souls back to the light.

‘Time Is Like A River’ and ‘Tomorrow Calls My Name’ both stoke the band’s early creative fires, but now, Power’s lyrics look back with an experience and knowingness of when to fight and when to let go. The former meanders toward the ‘Forever Changes’ brass as the protagonist learns to let go of the past. ‘Tomorrow Calls My Name’ finds a sweet spot between vintage Cast, Shack, and Love on this tale of trepidation and redemption. The Bunnymen-esque acoustic guitars create a tense apprehension. Still, the melodic uplift in the chorus and Tyson’s sumptuous guitars provide a redemptive blueprint for even the most tarnished souls. Power’s vocal switches from defiant to hymnal as guitars rain down an emotional heft that surpasses ‘Walkaway’.

Throughout the album, two things become abundantly clear. Power’s songwriting has rediscovered the magic touch, and accompanying it is his desire to impart love and wisdom to the world. A well-lived life, not shared, is criminal, and Power is certainly not guilty. His pop sensibilities have also hit career peak with ‘Faraway’. It's more instant than a sun-drenched Coral ditty. The slight gravel tinge to his voice dissipates into choral euphoria as he attempts to lead us back to collectivism and kindness.

Restoration is key to this album. Cast have restored faith in humanity and their ability as a serious exponent of great music. Their faith in hope and love has, in turn, delivered, at worst, the best album since their debut. Where ‘All Change’ captured a moment of optimism and change in 1996, ‘Love is the Call’ seek to counter the fractured world with a reminder that things can, should, and will be ok again. It’s an arm around the shoulder of the discontented, a hand up off the floor to the disenfranchised but chiefly, great guitar music.