The art of keeping your head when all around are losing theirs is something that ex-Libertines bassist John Hassall appears to have mastered over what must have been a tumultuous past couple of years in that band's history. That he managed to escape the tabloid circus dogging the band's every move with significant reserves of dignity intact is in itself quite an achievement, but the fact he's put together the rather wonderful YETI is almost too good to be true.
Because, Yeti aren't simply the sound of John Hassall crawling from the wreckage. They are the sound of him emerging fully-formed and fabulous with four like-minded colleagues who have helped him tap into a rich seam of songwriting from a personal mine that was clearly previously blocked off by the all-encompassing Doherty/ Barat partnership.
"Never Lose Your Sense Of Wonder" is their first single, and it's a quiet little classic. Brimming with positivity, it's a breezy, chiming guitar pop manoeuvre that grabs you instantly and recalls The La's very favourably en route. Hassall has a sweet voice and he teams up with second singer Harmony Williams like they were born to do this. That's the first heart-warming discovery, but it's in lead guitarist Andrew Deian-Jung that Yeti have a true secret weapon. The quicksilver solo he peels off during "...Sense Of Wonder" is a truly gorgeous thing that even the great Clarence White would surely have approved of, and that's not something this writer makes a point of saying too often.
Hassall and co soon make us realise this is only the tip of the iceberg too. "Working For The Industry" makes a terrific double-A, and swings by sounding like the classiest of experience-fuelled dramas. This is darker, slower and swaggering and clearly from the heart. "They'll chew you up and spit you out and then they'll start again," sings an older and wiser Hassall, sounding like he's been on first name terms with vultures aplenty, which may well have been the case. Whatever, it's a likeable and convincing strut, and demonstrates that Yeti have bags of confidence on their side.
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My promo copy also has a strange midnight-noir blues thang called "Midnight Flight" which is a curiously effective slice of late-night creeperama written from the point of view of a serial killer. It's an unlikely idea, but one the band pull off with some aplomb, with Deian-Jung again making a killer contribution with a lonely baritone guitar break. It's shivery and unexpected, but weirdly affecting for all that.
No doubt 2005 will once again be full of headlines generated by Messrs.Barat and Doherty, but this writer's always looking for the dark horses in the pop stakes, and surely the smart money will be placed on Yeti to make significant inroads, especially if they can build on this fine start. "Never Lose Your Sense Of Wonder" is sound advice we can all relate to and sounds utterly heavenly to boot. Go get.
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