The Poems
I Am A Believer (X-Phonics)
Fourteen months after their album was released in North America the UK gets a chance to hear what all the fuss is about. And listening to this it has clearly been worth the wait.
The first single from Glasgow’s hotly tipped Poems is as sumptuous a slice of widescreen Technicolor indie pop as I’ve heard in many a long time. This is no surprise when you look at the heritage of the band. Written and produced by Robert Hodgens, Adrian Barry and the late, great Bobby Paterson this is a fine example of the songwriter’s craft.
Coming in at a second under four minutes this powers along from the opening reverb soaked chord to the closing chime of the glockenspiel. The production is simply magnificent, with a nod to Berry Gordy here and a wave to Phil Spector there, the overdubs and harmonies glisten and allow the crystal clear vocals of newcomer Kerry Polwart to soar. The harmonies are provided by stellar guests Justin Currie (Del Amitri) and Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub). That luminaries such as these are happy to provide assistance gives an indication of the quality on display here.
It would be very easy to lazily pigeonhole The Poems with the likes of The Go-Betweens, Belle & Sebastian or Camera Obscura but this would be a disservice to all of these fine acts. Each one has a role to play in the music scape and I feel sure that The Poems, on this evidence, are capable of cultivating their own niche.
As the final line of the song says…..”the illusion is real”
A very late contender for Scottish Single Of The Year.
Chris Walker
