aaamusic | On 05, Feb 2012

Glancing through the titles on this album “Overrated Girlfriend”, “Lady Deceit” and “Winter of Discontent” it is clear from the get go that Brighton based Sweet Sweet Lies centre their music on relationships and heartache. They describe what they do in perfect brevity on their Facebook page it simply reads: “We write songs about love.” Indeed they do.

The Hare the Hound and the Tortoise opens with “Breathless”, a whimsical, melancholy love song that describes a doomed relationship with a troubled girl. They chronicle other love story in a charming, catchy song “Macy”. “The Day I Change” is a little different from other tracks on the album,  opening  with a guitar sequence that sounds like a cross between a Libertines and Oasis song- this is one of the most folk based songs on the album and remains acoustic throughout.

However it isn’t all love lost and broken hearts- witty “Capital of Iceland” is a scathing song to an ex-girlfriend after moving on to someone else lead singer Dominic Von Trapps remarks “She is tall and much more pretty; and she knows the capital of Iceland”. That’s the thing about this album, it is full of surprises and refreshingly divers. Although the vocals are distinctive throughout the songs range from folk, country influences to indie rock meaning that while this album is not necessarily a cohesive collection, there is a tune for everybody.

 

Orna Lyons