Search - South :: From Here on in

A terrific little known band

trainreader | Montclair, N.J. | 09/14/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Almost two years ago, I was watching some shlocky B movie about college kids who ran up against the mob when they became bookies. Unexpectedly, at the very end of what was a pretty bad movie, I heard this incredible song -- which sort of sounded like it could have come from the Stone Roses, Charlatans, Oasis, or Ride, but distinctive from all of those great bands. Of course, the song turned out to be "Paint the Silence" and I immediately purchased South's "From Here on In." A few weeks later, I followed up by buying the even better "With the Tides."



While the moody and evocative "Paint the Silence" is clearly the dominant song on the album, other standouts include the soaring "Keep Close," the instrumental "All in for Nothing," "Sight of Me," and "By the Time You Catch Your Heart."



The three principles show tremendous diversity, but stay faithful to the basic britpop formula. Perhaps we didn't need three songs to be split in two -- the album certainly could have been tighter -- but South has done something very special here, by basically continuing into the 2000's the britpop Stone Roses-style genre of rock and roll almost single-handedly.



I also should mention that I disagree with the reviewers who find a weakness in Jamie McDonald's voice. I think he's the perfect front man for these songs, and on occasion, such as in "Coloured in Waves" (probably the band's best song along with "Paint the Silence") his voice really soars.



This band should be more popular!"

South; sophisticated guitar music transcending genres

trainreader | 03/07/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A great album. South are impressive songwriters. Instrumental sections are a feature of their music rather than mere filler, their instrumentation is subtle and detailed . The vocals are used as another instrument contributing to the soundscape rather than dominating it. This is an album which wont fail to be appreciated by people who understand music. It is an impressive synthesis of soft rock and electronic that transcends genres. There are even elements that will appeal to those that appreciate classical music."

... it's all good music

E. A Solinas | MD USA | 02/05/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"South may be the most underrated Brit-rock band in existance, with only the Doves contending as well for that title. Certainly they deserve more attention than they have received, with their mellow brand of Stone-Rosian rock and creative use of guitars and electronic sweeps. Their debut, "From Here On In," has a creative polish that most bands can just dream about on their first outing.



What they create is basically swirling pop melodies with a slightly darker undercurrent, and a backdrop of lush electronic beats. The downright beautiful "Paint the Silence" is a good example, with a solid guitar'n'percussion thing going, but behind it are those dreamy beats and waves.



Elsewhere they take a more acoustic sound, such as the slightly ominous "Keep Close" or the eerie "I Know What You're Like," with its banjo-ey guitar. Then it's to songs like "Broken Head II," one of three experimental numbers, an eerie instrumental where the the haunting sonic waves take precedence over the wham-bam percussion, no matter how loud the drums get.



South is still a young band, and they were still sort of feeling their way through in "From Here On In" -- at times the songs can be monotonous musically, although still very engaging. You can hear hints of bands like Happy Mondays and the Stone Roses -- especially the Stone Roses, who are an acknowledged influence, but the Stone Roses if they had been wrapped up with a heavy dose of synth from some expert DJs.



Musically, the guys from South seem to be capable of anything -- moody indie-rock, trippy atmospherics, emo moans, and any imaginable blend of the above. When you strip away the keyboards and loops, the solid guitars and heavy basslines are still lurking there. They have some pretty solid drumbeats, which are usually pretty snappy and flexible; the keyboards and guitars have the rare quality of getting all melted together, so that at times it's hard to tell what precisely is building up musically.



Joel Cadbury doesn't have a great voice -- it's a bit out-there, in that great way that some rockers have. He's not fighting the music for the front position; he sounds like he's just a part of it all. And he throws some intense emotion into the moody, melancholy music -- the lyrics are a bit above average, but the way they are delivered makes them sound very strong and atmospheric. ("I'm gonna be there when your soul comes down/I see you running on your own intentions...")



While South was still growing into its excellent sound in "From Here On In," their polish and exuberance show them to be a musical force to be reckoned with -- especially with the release of their outstanding sophomore album. Keep rockin', boys."