Milton Star
Bel Esprit
Sorryville/Salvation
Lose My Mind
4.0
Review by Dave Simpson
Review by Dave Simpson
Musicians Alan Wyllie and Graeme Currie
have a long history of collaboration, dating
back some thirty years. Down through the
decades, they’ve played together in a number
of bands, beginning with an ensemble called
Thursdays. However, it wasn’t until relatively
recently that they emerged in their current
incarnation.
Following a hiatus from the music industry,
the duo reunited to form self-proclaimed “dark
country” act Milton Star. The name for their
latest endeavour comes from the converted
church in which they write and record their
material. The building also has a heavy
influence on their work, as they like to draw
inspiration from the environment that
surrounds them.
On January 12th, Milton Star released their
double A-side debut single, featuring the
tracks “Sorryville” and “Salvation”. The
former effort immediately conveys a
disquieting atmosphere through a foreboding
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2.5
riff. From here, it progresses steadily into an
ominous melody. An extended instrumental
sequence in the middle emphasizes the eerie
tone of the piece. It maintains a sense of
reservation throughout, with the country
influence being readily apparent beneath the
song’s brooding nature.
“Salvation” follows suit with another gloomy
introduction. The instrumentation takes
precedence over the mellow vocals as it
unfolds, remaining busy and restless despite a
lethargic pace. It’s a very downbeat
composition that meanders along uneasily,
emanating a pessimistic aura.
The sound and style that Milton Star have
opted for is an interesting one. The dominant
genre at play is undeniably country, however
its execution is remarkably bleak and austere.
While it’s unlikely to excite listeners or
brighten anyone’s mood, it is at least decidedly
unique.“Sorryville” and “Salvation” are
available on iTunes now.
The name that Indie alt-rockers Bel Esprit
have chosen for their ensemble offers
something of a lesson in literary history. The
Southampton based foursome’s designation is
borrowed from that of a fund created by
legendary poet Ezra Pound for the great T.S.
Eliot. The idea was to use the money raised to
liberate Eliot from his day job and allow him
to concentrate on a full-time career in writing.
It seems an appropriate moniker for a hopeful
new band to adopt, given that most musicians
aspire to make a career out of composing and
performing. And certainly these four
individuals are off to a good start with their
single, “Lose My Mind”.
This lively composition sprints straight into
a buoyant bass line and percussion before
colliding with cheerful guitars and vocals. The
instrumentation builds enthusiastically to the
absorbing melody of the chorus, maintaining
a fast and rousing pace as it does so. An upbeat
atmosphere is present throughout, adding a lot
of character