The Earlies

The fact that the Earlies made a second album is pretty remarkable; having band members scattered on both sides of the Atlantic must make songwriting rather difficult, yet they make it look easy. As in, bands that do get to practice and do get to write in the same room aren't remotely close to getting results like this. It'd also be important to note that the Earlies themselves didn't sound this polished last time. They brought in numerous guests on this album (no one you know), expanding their range of sound. It's mostly trippy electro-prog from the get-go, but the folkie, instrumental "Gone for the Most Part" suggests some Pink Floyd-meets-Mercury Rev jam sessions, and "The Ground We Walk On" is a beautiful ballad, on a par with your favorite '80s song. Midway through, the Earlies change direction on us with the horn-laced funk jam "Foundation and Earth." By the time you get to "Breaking Point," you've been led down so many directions, the sitar that dominates this last cut seems wholly normal. While it was cute to think this "band of globalization" was a nice little story a few years ago, they're now actually showing us they've got some depth.