What is it about Antarctic ice shelves? Not content with being plucked out of obscurity to be the title of a British Sea Power song, the now sadly departed ice shelf known as Larsen B is also the name of Hertfordshire’s most thrilling new band. In much the same way that Stornoway emerged on the back of musical ability and hard graft alone, these unassuming three gentleman have quietly crafted a lovely album entirely under their own steam, in the shape of “Musketeer”. The local postman even contributed harmonica on the album, by all accounts.
In that most disarmingly fresh way that the best bands have, Larsen B don’t really sound like part of any scene that’s currently in vogue. This is pop music, with keyboards aplenty, awash with harmonies and the kind of gentle melodies that perfectly soundtrack days in the country, picnics, summer dresses, the occasional pond, and perhaps even a spot of fishing under the dappled shade of a lilac tree. Well, it wouldn’t sound quite as appealing walking through Lewisham, anyway.
So what of the music? Well, “Marilyn” has precisely the chugging rhythms and glittering ivory tinkling of one of those long forgotten but tuneful pop bands like Dogs Die in Hot Cars or XTC. “The Gold Cup” has a pseudo-Japanese sounding melody and a warm rich feeling. “Codeine” sounds like a song Keane might have written before they lost their way, or the Shins if they’d been born under a post code instead of a zip code. It’s a piece of pure waltzing pop, that sounds precisely like it was recorded on a local farm — which it was. This is certainly music of its geographical location. It’s extremely pleasant and totally unassuming, so if you fancy a swerve away from the hipster sounds to take in some straight up, thoughtful, highly tuneful indie-pop music, Larsen B might just make your day.
