JET PLANE AND OXBOW

SHEARWATER's first album of original material since the island arc is a high voltage (for them anyway) shocker that effectively counteracts the pallid "Fellow Travelers". While that misstep was based on decent covers of mediocre tracks by also rans who happened to tour with Meiburg and co, "Jet Plane and Oxbow" pays homage to artistic and commercial giants who helped shape this fascinating cooperative.

FRom the very first notes of the hypnotic "Prime", a transformation from largely acoustic to electric keyboards is apparent, and these form many of the hooks that help make the album so appealing. From the 1980s synth pop of "Quiet Americans" to the 1990s jangly pop of "Only Child", through to the ENO/CAN THIRD EAR BAND (and somebody else in the infectious chorus I can't put my finger on though it's driving me crazy) extravaganza "Filaments" to the TALK TALK chatter of "Backchannels", the echoes of the usual suspects abound. A big surprise is how much "Pale Kings" sounds like a low key RUNRIG without the Scottish lilt.

While the last 4 tracks are relatively flat, particularly the busy work of "Glass Bones" and the irritating vocal effects of "Stray Light at Clouds Hill", I can readily forgive these meanderings, particularly on aerial view.

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