Ugly Man Records' Guy Lovelady is one of those unsung mavericks the dreaded music industry can't stop despite its' best ( actually, make that 'worst') efforts. His renowned Manchester-based imprint has, often on a shoestring, released crucial early records from influential folk such as Elbow, I Am Kloot and (if memory serves) the great, lost Dub Sex along the way.
So a major tip of the W&H hat is more than overdue, but it's heartening to hear some cool new contemporary sounds emanating from the Ugly Man stable. Their new single comes from a Salford band rather than a Manchester one (an important distinction) and it's really rather fine. The band in question are called SANDBOX. They are a female-fronted quartet and they craft chunky guitar pop with plenty of panache and a desire not to conform to the vagaries of fashion.
'Shades of Grey' is a deceptive beast. It opens with a spray of splatchy, Roxy Music-style synth but soon turns on its' own punchy charm. Singer Lennie has a gutsy presence and her throaty vocals are very welcome in a world where most female singers seem to be losing themselves in a galaxy of ethereality. After all, it's not often these days when I find my notes saying things like 'reminds me favourably of a young Pauline Murray'.
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My main criticism is that it's perhaps thirty seconds too long, but it's a fine first effort and B-side 'Out of Rage' also makes a good fist of combining frustration and urban ennui with passionate, stomping pop. Sandbox, it seems, are more than capable of keeping pace with the famous names who have already been nurtured by Guy Lovelady, so be prepared to hear a lot more from them.
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