Album Club, June 2016: Soft Hearted Scientists - 'Uncanny Tales ....'

[Album Club]

This month's Album Club choice is by Richard (lovejoy) with 'Uncanny Tales From the Everyday Undergrowth' by Soft Hearted Scientists. Please listen to the Album in it's entirety before you vote. Enjoy:




My very first go at presenting an album for the Album Club for your (hopeful) enjoyment. I present to you 'Uncanny Tales From the Everyday Undergrowth' by the Soft Hearted Scientists. For those unfamiliar with this band, they wear their influences on their sleeves - Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd, The Beatles somewhere around Strawberry Fields, a bit of Kinks and a bit of The Byrds. That's not to take anything away from them in terms of their sheer originality and ear for a catchy tune however. The songs are peppered with witty observations and banter - any song that references Billy Ray Cyrus in his own personal hell has to be worth a listen (Diving Bell, track 2). The band describe themselves as "kitchen sink psychedelia" which I think is spot on and as the title of the album goes, it's pretty descriptive of its contents. In fact, this was never created as an album at all, but a series of 4 EPs pulled together into an album length which works remarkably well and considering how well it flows, it feels like a crafted piece of work.

I discovered this album when it came out back in 2005 and never really got on with it the first few listens, thinking it a bit twee for my tastes - That was around the time Belle and Sebastian were taking up lots of air play who I found thoroughly annoying and, quite wrongly, I banded SHS into the same pigeonhole. Thankfully, the album clicked after around 5-6 listens and has been a constant favourite of mine ever since. Easily one of my favourite albums of the 2000s so far and one that I think has been overlooked and under-rated, so if even a couple more people get to like it from putting it up here, that will make me happy. Stand out tracks for me are towards the end - 'Many a Monster', 'The Haunted Song' and 'Isabella'. If you end up skimming through as it's not for you, I ask that you at least play 'The Haunted Song' through.

The album seems to have been out of print for a while, but has recently had a re-release and can be ordered directly from their website here:

http://www.softheartedscientists.com...ed-scientists/

Unfortunately, there's no signs of this on Spotify (although their later albums are all present).
Tidal does have it though and you can find that here: tidal.com/album/6117922

Someone very kindly (I think it might even be the band) put a YouTube playlist together where you can listen to the album in its entirety here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ha7...W22dL8SJdzw0EX