The Upper Room - 'All Over This Town' (Sony)
4/5
By: Kevin Molloy
Once more quality guitar and piano music have reclaimed the pop tune. The Darkness have the pastiche end covered, whilst Keane and Snow Patrol service the indie-lite requirements of the nation. Following the example of these last two in making unashamedly melodic quasi-anthems, The Upper Room will certainly find space made for them, even in their overcrowded genre, whilst they're making songs this good.
A fairly conventional, yet honest and charismatic vocal, over the sumptuously layered guitars creates the happiest blend of Athlete-style pop and more introspective types such as The Stills. The tale of loss and infidelity somehow shines through with a smile in this slice of summery sadness, whilst the middle-eight's harmonic-laden solo only adds yet more soul to the piece's melodramatically polished lyricism ('I'm hearing violins in the street').
With a mastery of melody surpassing most of their peers, if not all, Brighton's latest will soon be conquering the trendier scenes in the UK with their pop-sincerity.
Artists in this article: The Upper Room
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