This is the third album from The Bluetones. The fist being Expecting To Fly, the most successful, back in the heyday of britpop and oasis-blur rivalries. Expecting to fly was stone rosesy jingly jangly, summery and lovely. Delicate and beautiful. Then came Return To The Last Chance Saloon, a louder album, with another hit 'If...' the 'na na na na' bit at the end sounding just like the theme tune to 'this morning'. Science and Nature was a pure pop album, the single Keep The Home Fires Burning has a grand sing along chorus, though Autophilia was a little cheesy. Album number four was a singles collection which they didn't really want to do, but didn't have much choice from their record label. Still there are some fantastic new songs on it too, Persuasion, for example, is a classic. Album 5 they, er, let their hair down somewhat. Luxembourg is... the best word to describe it is 'Stomping'. It just stomps from beginning to end. It is completely different and on first listen I was a little uncertain. I love it now however. Rather than spending days arranging the music perfectly as they had before they just slapped it all together and the rough and ready feel is invigorating!

But I'm supposed to be talking about Science and Nature: There is a nihilistic, perhaps liberated feel in the first two tracks, Zorrro and Last of the Great Navigators. The album is quite short and before you know it you've raged through the instrumental Blood Bubble (which sounds fab live, a song I defy you not to have the urge to dance to), to the stunning Slack Jaw, a song about one of Mark Morriss' favourite topics, lost love. The final track Emily's pine is soft and beautiful, but strangely enough about a murder.

As I said, it's pure perfection. Its one of those albums where you really notice the background music rather than just the vocals. They've been so carefully crafted together. Grand.

Relaxing. Singing along loudly to on car journeys. Happy summer days, cheering up winter nights.

Keep the Home Fires Burning is a blissful song. Slack Jaw which makes me smile. The opening three songs, Zorrro, Last of the Great Navigators and Tiger Lily, which merge wonderfully together.

Autophilia or 'How I learnt to stop worrying and love my car'. Well, I do like it, and it has great sing-a-long potential, but it is a little cheesy.

listen to it again.

Happy, it is just cheerful music. Makes you feel alive and that everything is ok with the world

You'll probably remember The Bluetones for their 1996 'hit' Slight Return. Ok, so you might not remember the name, but I'm sure if you heard the song you'd recognise it! The Bluetones are brothers Scott and Mark Morriss on bass and vocals respectively, Adam Devlin on lead guitar and Eds Chesters on drums. They briefly had a keyboardist, Richard Payne (from Dodgy I believe??) then another called Paul Beard who is in new band The Ambershades (ambershades, bluetones? Hmmm). But now are back down to 4. All four band members are very short and skinny, and nice, no gallagher brothers fighting.

It's great!

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Created Feb 22, 2004 at 9:40am • Submit your own review...