You would certainly not accuse The Crimea of being short on musical ideas. Following the classical piano of the introduction you get: angular guitar riffs, spinning keyboard lines, dropping to plucking acoustic guitars, catchy melodic choruses with haunting female vocals, dropping to dark rolling Hammond, shouty-group choir choruses and the line "Who knows what goes on in your pretty little head?" sung like a slightly subversive Tweetie Pie. This is all before you've left the first song!
Following "White Russian Galaxy" is former Zane Lowe single of the week "Lottery Winners on Acid" where added to the mixture are xylophone breaks, pump organs and squelching, swirling guitars (Not to mention a bit of classical piano). It really is rather a lot to take in- but it's so sweetly packaged that it is certainly more mesmerizing than intimidating. A beautifully woven tale of devoted love "If she likes Gordon's, I like Gordon's, if she likes the black stuff I like the black stuff too" - underneath the musical ideas, it is very simply a good song.
In many ways it is difficult to narrow down the highlights- Opposite Ends is almost Pulp-like. Its semi-spoken tirade of angst-ridden narration over brooding choral backing is dark and clever. Then there is the bittersweet humour of Baby Boom or even better Girl Just Died- which combines catchy hooks and melodies over a 60's back-beat and woozy guitar - "If you want to see my happy side, Better tell me that my girl just died". There really is a lot to like.
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The problem is that after the first 5 tracks- it all seems to die away. To be fair lyrics are consistently interesting, showing off front-man Davey MacManus's literary bent. Even the song titles are intriguing (my personal favourite being Gazzilions of Minature Violins) but the off-kilter lines don't feel so essential when not accompanied by such a mesmerizing musical accompaniment. There are still etheral guitars and choir chantings but the songs aren't bursting at the seams like the earlier ones.
With far less to go on the later songs very much sink or swim on whether you like MacManus's vocal style. It's a very unique sound, not dissimilar to a huskier version of Jonathan Donahue (from Mercury Rev) but as with all unique sounds it has the possibility of making enemies as well as fans. This of course is a shame because really The Crimea are very talented act and when firing at their best they produce some quirky but truly brilliant music.
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