WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE SOFT HEARTED SCIENTISTS?

Welsh band SOFT HEARTED SCIENTISTS have been around in one shape or another since 2001, with Cardiff as their base of operations and these days sporting four members, following an initial phase of existence as a duo with special guests contributing. The band have four studio productions to their name so far, with a fifth set for release later in 2013. And while their small but dedicated fanbase awaits the next chapter of the musical exploits of this Cardiff foursome, Fruits de Mer Records have decided to release a compilation album featuring material from all parts of their career. To be released as a double vinyl production, complete with a bonus 7'' single, sporting the slightly curious title "Whatever Happened to the Soft Hearted Scientists".

It doesn't take too long before this compilation leaves me somewhat bewildered, as this is a rather unfamiliar musical ground for me. Once a metalhead that later developed a taste for progressive and sophisticated music, this is a band and an album that represents a very different sound to what I'm used to, and presumably I'll be missing vital points about origins, influences and similar sounding artists both left, right and centre on this one. Most likely bringing some rather odd associations to the table to boot. Be that as it may be, hopefully someone may still find some use to these written words.

My main impression about this act is that their material has a naive, innocent sound. The moods and atmospheres from a world less dark, threatening and informed than today. Music from the age where people could still believe in people. Also known as the 1960's. And there's a distinct smell of flowers in the air when playing this music, and possibly some fragrances of a more dubious origin too. By now I should add that these are impressions harvested at the start of their various compositions, but as they develop these creations does reveal a band that isn't quite as one dimensional.

The songs start out coming across as singer/songwriter material more often than not though, with light toned acoustic guitars and calm lead vocals the main and dominating elements. But as the initial phase ends, or more often as the song develops, quite a few additional features are added in. Psychedelic tinged, subtle synthesizer and keyboard textures, echoing guitar licks, brooding downmixed organ and what I suspect is some variety or other of Mellotron find their place, most often utilized sparingly and to good effect but occasionally used as parts of a richer, layered arrangement that may even be described as majestic from time to time. But not in a dramatic manner. Soft Hearted Scientists do live up to their choice of moniker, their pieces generally maintain a calm and controlled spirit even when the arrangements are fairly sophisticated. Some instances of vocals with a slight touch of The Beatles about them appear from time to time, and a few tracks have a slightly darker edge and whimsical nature to them that gives me associations to artists often referred to as Canterbury when describing their style. Soft Hearted Scientists is a band I'd describe as one with a foundation closer to the singer/songwriter and folk music traditions though, and a band that showcase an eager interest in applying psychedelic and odd sounds to their material. A few more purebred psychedelic pieces does appear too, and that a song titled At Night the Quarry Glows Like a Mothership is among them shouldn't surprise anyone.

This is a good and fascinating album, of that there isn't any doubt. Those who tend to enjoy psychedelic music of the kind that generally doesn't employ dramatic effects and who tend stay calm and controlled should be a likely crowd for this production, fans of psychedelic folk music too. And if you can check both these points and have an additional affection for the likes of The Beatles, then I suspect that you and Soft Hearted Scientists is a match made in heaven somewhere. Not the best description or recommendation this album will harvest by far I suspect, but the best this old metal head is able to come up with for this particular production.

In 2013 the mighty Fruits de Mer released a compilation of material on a double vinyl album along with an associated 33 rpm 7" single providing 23 songs at a total length of more than 100 minutes. Needless to say, the vinyl sold out as soon as it was announced, but this album is still available through Bandcamp and I believe singer Nathan Hall still has some double CD sets for sale as well through the same site. The album starts with a short cover version of the theme tune for 'Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads", a popular British sitcom from the mid Seventies (which I clearly remember watching), and is apparently the only cover the band have ever attempted. It certainly through me back into the Seventies when I heard it, as although it has been given the SHS treatment of acoustic guitars and harmony vocals it is instantly recognisable. Interestingly, the TV series was itself a sequel to a Sixties sitcom, picking up the tale some five years after that had ended, showing how the two featured friends had changed, so it is a perfectly fitting and interesting title for a compilation which is looking over a period of time.

This means we get earlier material with a drum machine, and later material with "real" drums, and we trip through whimsy and different styles, all of which are firmly rooted in the late Sixties. We get banjo, Wurlitzer-style organ, mandolin, and one cannot help but fall in love with songs that are full of naivety and refusal to conform to whatever anyone feels music should be in the 21st century. Songs such as "The Trees Don't Seem To Know It's September" are full of the feelings of love and joy which only ever seemed to be displayed in this manner back when the world was a far nicer and better place. "Halloween People" with its multi-guitar attack is simply delightful, with hooks and a nod to the Canterbury Scene. This is folk, it is prog, it is psychedelic, it has been influenced by Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Caravan, and is a wonderful place to discover one of the best bands to come out of Wales.