The Hidden Cameras - 'I Believe In The Good Of Life' (Rough Trade Records)
4/5
By: Thomas Hannan
'I believe in the good of life' - and do you? If not, here are more than a dozen reasons, carrying guitars, flutes and fiddles, all sorts in an attempt to turn your frown upside down - The Hidden Cameras.
Quite what each of the mass collective is doing for most of this fine little ditty is either insignificant or just incredibly subtle and intelligent (probably the latter), because despite rumours of this lot numbering nearly into their thousands, they still have the endearing charm of a rickety, quaint little affair, 'I Believe...' especially reminiscent at times of the soundtrack to an old, dusty Western - perfect notes to ride a horse to.
It's immensely upbeat, warming in its friendliness, but not in the least bit banal; for once it seems we've stumbled across an instance of proper, shameless joy, of course juxtaposed with the now characteristic, slightly bizarre way frontman Joel Gibb has with words ('I did not do those drugs or steal those underpants!' he asserts, seemingly nonsensically). Driven by both the kind of pulsing but chirpy beat that others would unjustifiably be afraid to use for fear of perhaps over-simplicity, and an almost unhealthy atmosphere of optimism, this is a wonderful hymn to - get this - things really not being so bad after all.
Artists in this article: The Hidden Cameras
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