Under the Bridge is a new compilation album of music by the bands and musicians who used to be involved with or signed to Sarah Records, this mixes in songs from the original bands and songs from current projects by musicians who used to be on Sarah Records and put out by Skep Wax Records a label run by Sarah records alumni Rob Pursey and Amelia Fletcher.
There will also be two all-dayer events in 2022, featuring several of the bands on the album, in Bristol (The Thunderbolt) and in New Cross London (The Amersham Arms) on 23rd and 24th April respectively.
The compilation opens with the spacey sounds of Travel Through Midnight by The Luxembourg Signal that slowly builds as the gauzy vocals take us on a gently intoxicating Midnight trip to what seems to be a quite peaceful destination.
Even As We Speaks are about to be broken hearted once more on Begins Goodbye as it amps things up a good bit with some very cool bouncy indie pop, that's somewhere between Lush and Voice Of The Beehive, as they ask some good questions and the guitars emphasize the yearning and hope in the lyrics, before everything breaks down for a ambient middle section that slowly builds back up towards the songs climax.
Leaf Mosaic take us for a ride on the Bullet Train that seems to be a very smooth journey towards a Lilac Time full of birds in the sky and another broken relationship, sadness and regret as the ex-departs on that Bullet Train just as the organ comes to the fore.
The Orchids have returned to tell us that I Don't Mean To Stare, that has a cool laid back Indian vibe and some quite claustrophobic sounding vocals, that are pleading for some love and for me at least they really don't sound how I remember The Orchids sounding back in the day, but this instead updates there sound using some of the elements that The Bedlamites used back in the 80's circa Cherish.
Tufthunter pay tribute to Monsieur Jadis and sounds like the Nouvelle Vague while doing so with some very bewitching French vocals describing some of the adventures Blondin created for him.
Useless Users not only have a great name but in Wish You Well also have a great organ led Indie pop song that has some nice sparse percussion and the odd twist or two along the way.
St Christopher take us on a trip to Stornaway and it sounds like they are whipping up the sort of storm the shipping forecast often warned about for Stornaway, as I try to figure out what the drummer is banging to get the odd percussion sounds that come through the fuzzy guitars.
Secret Shine are totally Lost In The Middle, but the middle of what? A hailstorm of raging shoegaze guitars, or some sun dappled field of long grass, as the super reverb vocals wrap themselves gently around your ears, this is quite intoxicating.
Boyracer don't disappoint on Larkin that could easily be in tribute to my childhood friend Martin Larkin but is of course a great slice of low-fi anorak indie with some brilliantly messy drumming and a football chant part, as well as the effects laden vocals as you'd expect.
Jetstream Pony appear to want to make music for adverts with Strood McD FC, as the heavy reverbed music unfolds and the hapless Sunday morning football team in red and yellow striped kit are seen losing again and again, as if they win they will get all the Maccy D's they can eat, they just can't bear the thought of having to eat any of that awful food again. No the song isn't really about that but is a very cool tune.
Soundwire take us to the indie club dancefloor for Another Sun that has lots of space age noises and a velveteen mantra like sound, that buzzes itself deep into your brain, as you'll find it hard to sit still to this one, you'd better get up and start dancing instead.
Sepia Sound want to take us back to Arcadian times and this stunningly beautiful tune will have you laying back dreaming of a perfect spring or summers day with the acoustic guitar gently caressing your soul and making you smile.
The Catenary Wires pay tribute to the magical Wall Of Sound with this having a very full semi Phil Spector style production, but without the gunplay and male toxicity, I love the way the handclaps weave between the guitars.
The compilation ends with The Wake and there tribute to Stockport, that sounds nothing like the American Goth rock group called The Wake whose comeback album Perfume And Fripperies I reviewed a while back. this being far more gauzy indie, that refuses to drink the Iron Maiden beer produced in Stockport, far preferring more genteel drinks and makes Stockport seem a rather enticing place to visit.
You can find out more about this compilation at https://www.skepwax.com/ndrthebridge https://ndrthebridge.bandcamp.com/releases
