Little Name: How to Swim and Live
0 Comments Published by Nat Lady on Monday, October 08, 2007 at 17:54.
Released on Sleepy Records, October 16, 2007I’m probably completely wrong but, to me, the Liverpool music scene is still strongly associated with early noughties scally-pop. Bands like The Coral and The Zutons continue to bang out upbeat jangly tunes for the kids, and I’ve heard nothing about any twee scene spreading there from the Midlands, with its recently sprouted holy indiepop trinity of Stoke-on-Trent, Sheffield and Nottingham.
But Lee Barker, otherwise known as Little Name, seems pretty determined to change things - he’s armed with twinkly xylophones and plush strings and is not afraid to use them. From the up-tempo opener “For the Attention Of” to the orchestral sways of “A Life Such as Mine”, he’s clearly taken his inspiration from the breathiest bits of Camera Obscura and Belle and Sebastian’s cleverest melodies. However, sometimes his admiration for them is just a little too apparent and style over content prevails; the presence of traditionally twee instruments alone does not make a great record.
Still, overall this is a fine offering, if a little limited in variety, and the sweetly crafted “You Tear My Love Apart” is a delight. Given time and perhaps a little willingness to draw from a wider set of influences, I’m sure Little Name will be just as fab as the big names he so clearly adores….!
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