St Christopher Medal: Sunny Day Machine (Stereogram)
4/5 Is This Music? Oct 23, 2015
On the form demonstrated by this debut album, St Christopher Medal are a highly melodic and subtly barbed addition to Edinburgh-based label Stereogram’s burgeoning roster of literate pop artists , Opener ‘Glori’ demonstrates immediately that the five piece have a facility for panoramic Americana and throughout the album there is a burnished maturity to the lyrics which sweep from Canada to the wilds of Scotland and benefit from the engaging clarity of Perthshire school teacher Ali Mathieson’s enunciation. His quietly commanding, approachable voice reaches its zenith on vivid lament ‘The Appin Indians’ and 99th birthday tribute ‘Ernestine’.
‘Vatersay Love Song’ sounds like a barroom encounter between Teenage Fanclub and The Thrills. Although musically less ambitious than other offerings here, a striking lyrical maturity permeates the track: “We’re the same kind / We’re the same age / It took us two years to work up the courage.” ‘Leave The Boy Upstairs’ meshes reflection with a seductive tenderness. Smatterings of harmonica and understated keyboard herald an impressively raw-toned guitar coda by Ali’s New York-resident brother Kenny. The witty and catchy Satchel Bag brings to mind Graham Nash’s ‘Song for Beginners’, churning North-meets-West pop full of keen observations. The charming ‘From A Zafira Comfort’, complete with oscillating Moog sounds and refrain “And the kids are in the back fast asleep like they so rarely are” displays a gentle, warm humour while ‘We Are The Medal’s mellotron-enriched statement of intent rivals anything Ian Hunter wrote about being in Mott The Hoople, especially if he’d roped in Leonard Cohen and Jarvis Cocker along the way. It’s mischievous in the extreme: “We are the sun / We are the breeze / We are Coldplay / We are The Three Degrees / We are The Fall / We know it all / We are the Medal.”
The closer, slow-burning road song ‘West’, brings us back to that barroom which the Fanclub have vacated but The Thrills continue to prop up. After the bell for last orders we’re treated to two untitled bonus tracks which impress with acoustic guitar subtlety, hymnal piano and the ultimate description of a “nowhere day” Sunday. Formed from the ashes of 90s pop purveyors Life With Nixon, St Christopher Medal may have a few years on some of the more callow pop pretenders out there but boy do they wear it well.
4/5 Is This Music? Oct 23, 2015
On the form demonstrated by this debut album, St Christopher Medal are a highly melodic and subtly barbed addition to Edinburgh-based label Stereogram’s burgeoning roster of literate pop artists , Opener ‘Glori’ demonstrates immediately that the five piece have a facility for panoramic Americana and throughout the album there is a burnished maturity to the lyrics which sweep from Canada to the wilds of Scotland and benefit from the engaging clarity of Perthshire school teacher Ali Mathieson’s enunciation. His quietly commanding, approachable voice reaches its zenith on vivid lament ‘The Appin Indians’ and 99th birthday tribute ‘Ernestine’.
‘Vatersay Love Song’ sounds like a barroom encounter between Teenage Fanclub and The Thrills. Although musically less ambitious than other offerings here, a striking lyrical maturity permeates the track: “We’re the same kind / We’re the same age / It took us two years to work up the courage.” ‘Leave The Boy Upstairs’ meshes reflection with a seductive tenderness. Smatterings of harmonica and understated keyboard herald an impressively raw-toned guitar coda by Ali’s New York-resident brother Kenny. The witty and catchy Satchel Bag brings to mind Graham Nash’s ‘Song for Beginners’, churning North-meets-West pop full of keen observations. The charming ‘From A Zafira Comfort’, complete with oscillating Moog sounds and refrain “And the kids are in the back fast asleep like they so rarely are” displays a gentle, warm humour while ‘We Are The Medal’s mellotron-enriched statement of intent rivals anything Ian Hunter wrote about being in Mott The Hoople, especially if he’d roped in Leonard Cohen and Jarvis Cocker along the way. It’s mischievous in the extreme: “We are the sun / We are the breeze / We are Coldplay / We are The Three Degrees / We are The Fall / We know it all / We are the Medal.”
The closer, slow-burning road song ‘West’, brings us back to that barroom which the Fanclub have vacated but The Thrills continue to prop up. After the bell for last orders we’re treated to two untitled bonus tracks which impress with acoustic guitar subtlety, hymnal piano and the ultimate description of a “nowhere day” Sunday. Formed from the ashes of 90s pop purveyors Life With Nixon, St Christopher Medal may have a few years on some of the more callow pop pretenders out there but boy do they wear it well.
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