Shortwave Set, The - Replica Sun Machine (Album)
It's English. It's really, really English. Despite being helmed by an American producer Brian Burton (more on him later) and recorded in Los Angeles, Replica Sun Machine by The Shortwave Set is all strawberries and mackintoshes. This is the second album from this band which hails, surprisingly, from England. On it, they are strongly following in the tradition of late Beatles and the other psychedelic sixties bands as well as drawing from Bowie, Elbow and the synth pop of The Dandy Warhols. Oh wait, The Dandys are American. Oh well.
The Shortwave Set consists of Andrew Pettitt and Ulrika Bjorsne, both on guitar and voice and David Farrell on electronica. Pettitt and Bjorsne share the lead vocals as well as pair up for many moments of Lennon/McCartney harmony. This album does not sound like this band is a three piece and that is partially attributable to the producer. This leads us back to Brian Burton, also known as Danger Mouse. On his previous albums (Grey Album, Danger Doom, Demon Days, Gnarls Barkley to mention a few) he has running between the recording booth and production desk, switching between being the salt and substance. He has quilted his Producer's Mantle by tearing patches of Nigel Godrich, Madlib and, now with this release, Sir George Martin.
Just as Danger Mouse is the neon strip on a sign that points the way to a fine album, another collaborator on this album that often is the ribbon on the package, is one Van Dyke Parks. This legendary musical polymath has contributed some understated, but powerful orchestrations to add what Pettitt calls "majesty" to this release. This grandiosity is particularly evident on The Downer Song, House Of Lies and I Know. The subtle Danger Mouse touches are all the way through. The squelches, synths, and flanged vocals attempt to push and pull The Shortwave Set out of some of the pop cliché their boots get stuck into at times. The whole thing is a bit samey by the time the needle hits the end. Luckily there are two tracks that really break this up: the very Bowie Now Til 69 and the first single No Social which is totally swinging Michael Caine spy movie material. In some ways, these are the most cheesy and dated songs on the record but they've managed to fashion the cheese into a sonic fondue.
Overall this album is enjoyable and sounds very good, especially when listened to with a cup of weak Earl Gray and some scones. Nothing groundbreaking and keeps the status quo: just the way the English like it.
