The band – Bradford-based brother / sister progpoppsych combo Gurgles – describe their debut album (the clue’s in the name) as ‘a multi-hued Fender Rhodes driven pop-trip under the influence of Cardiacs, Jim O’Rourke, Steely Dan, Prefab Sprout, Yellow Magic Orchestra, Robert Wyatt, Chicago, Pink Floyd and Van der Graaf Generator amongst many’.
I don’t know whether to be excited or apprehensive, whether to be irked by the superfluous question mark or let it ride because it was ok when Therapy? did it, or just to spare myself the trouble and check out something less likely to explode my brain. But I like a challenge and besides, it was recorded under the watch of MJ from Hookworms and is houses in artwork by Kenn Goodall. And there’s a track on it called ‘JG Mallard’.
Less self-consciously weird and whappy than Gus’ other band, Mucky Sailor, Gurgles still aren’t afraid to swirl their myriad influences together in odd and sometimes incongruous ways to produce something that’s quite a headtrip.
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If progressive pop doesn’t yet exist as a concept, then Gurgles will surely be hailed at some point in the future as its exemplars. Twittery analogue synths float around shimmering pop harmonies, and there are some insistent grooves too. It certainly doesn’t sound, or feel, like an album from 2015, and the production values only accentuate that fuzzy 70s vibe.
At times it threatens to settle into a smug-sounding muso-fest, but then they immediately flip things about face: the smooth smooch of ‘How Could I Tell’ suddenly gets nasty halfway through.
Carefully poised on the acceptable side of cheesy, ‘Girglefirst?’ is the work of an act who know what they’re doing, and shows the occasional glimmer of mischief, too.
Gurgles Online
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