Sophie’s Pigeons
It’s Gonna Bite / Only Us (Red Deer Club)
Sophie’s Pigeons have a pretty intense sound. ‘It’s Gonna Bite’ is a strident, driven nugget, its rambunctious sound topped off with strong vocals and a bruising rhythmic stomp. It’s pretty catchy and, after a few plays, the subtlety of the additional instrumentation starts to shine through with the piano and brass giving it an elegant shine despite the slightly claustrophobic feel of the production. ‘Only Us’ is a gentler creature, less feral and rowdy but equally enjoyable, with the piano and melodica showcasing a more tempered vocal. Sophie’s Pigeons even mange to deploy handclaps with considerable aplomb, namedrop Captain Beefheart and still land sunny-side up where other bands have only ended up with egg on their faces. Two wonderful songs that make up one rather joyously great single.
Andy Wood
