| In May 2006 I wrote
a glowing review for a Belfast based trio called Cal for their EP Standing
In Shadows and now singer/songwriter and lead singer Colin McMurray
is back with a new band called Nanook and a new EP entitled Finally Yours.
Finally Yours showcases four outstanding new songs written by McMurray,
featuring himself on vocals and guitar, Mike Patton on drums, and Peter
Pratt on bass (although Cal’s Henrik Favari played bass for the EP).
Colin McMurray is a very, very talented singer/songwriter with a marvelous
voice and he deserves a much wider audience.
Nanook’s alternative
pop sound invokes the memory of The Swell Season and I think they would
be a great match as touring mates with Glen Hansard and Margeta Irglova
or perhaps with their old mates, Snow Patrol. Nanook cites Pearl
Jam, Jeff Buckley, U2, Van Morrison, Ryan Adams, Crowded House, Counting
Crows, and CSNY among their influences, and one can certainly hear the
CSNY influence in the first few melodious bars of “Black Dress” as well
as The Edge’s guitar in the sensational “Black Dress”.
Finally Yours opens
with “Make It Good”, a rockin’ radio hit you can dance to, followed by
the sultry, sexy, slightly urgent standout, “Black Dress”:
“I’d keep it down
if I were you,
It could so easily
be the last thing you do
Down in the garden
waiting for a ride
With bombshells
and daisy chains
Clinging to your
side
And you waiting
in a black dress
Help me take all
the posters down,
Tonight’s been
cancelled no more sorrows to drown
Feeling this
vibration underneath your tongue
It’s a silver
chain of colour hangin’ off of everyone
And you, waiting
in a black dress”
“Aimée” is
a beautiful ballad in which Colin’s soft, sweet vocal immediately reminds
me of another Colin, Colin Devlin. “Every Conversation” summons Nanook’s
inner Crowded House and at the end of the track, Nanook cruelly leaves
the listener wanting more!
I had a chance to
ask Colin a few questions recently and here’s what he had to say: you'll
find the interview here.
There you have it!
Take a few moments of your time to listen to some of the songs from Finally
Yours by Nanook and make friends with the band at www.myspace.com/nanooklive.
You’ll be glad you did.
Christine Bode
c.bode@partyinkingston.com |
