THESE NEW PURITANS AND IT'S RISEN

Cor blimey am I slow on the uptake sometimes. How embarrassing this can be. You see, These New Puritans have already released their third album Field of Reeds and where was I? Nowhere, apparently, cause I didn't write about it. I did however write about their song 'Fragment Two' when it was released for human ears a few months ago. It was nice, showing a subtle mix of their beats-inspired earlier stuff and the spooky instrumentals of their second album.

Now they've got a new album out they've been naturally doing the rounds, on tour an' that, and a few days ago they were on Zane Lowe's show on BBC Radio 1. If you don't know who Zane Lowe is then that's fine - he's this guy from New Zealand that plays music on BBC Radio 1 on weekdays from 7-9pm GMT. Use your googling skills to find out more.

So anyway they were at Maida Vale in London which is where all the bands and artists do live stuff for Radio 1. They played a few songs from the album. In addition, they also played a didn't-make-it-on-the-album track called 'And It's Risen' AND it's nice. Listen down.

Beginning with a now seemingly quite typically TNPs combination of unassuming vocals and piano chords, the song grabs attention right away. The piano sounds are almost uncomfortable in the beginning, beset by the languor of their own lingering reverberations, but in that there's a prettiness in the simplicity of the progressions and the way that the vocal melody follows the piano's.

The unexpected addition drums into this song is a very welcome addition indeed. They are wonderfully hesitant, clicks tripping over snare, a sparse beat yet imbued with power that provides the perfect companion to the vocals and piano. The beat in fact almost follows the new melody painted by the piano and vocals, all of which sinks into the background as bassoons or whatever rise up and provide a large orchestrally murky finale to the song, they give it this mournful tone that well describes the mud and grey of the Thames Estuary. Dunno why this didn't get to the album cause it's well good innit.

Have a listen to all of the Maida Vale sessions, but you should probably also check out their album Field of Reeds too.

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