Pastel
Souls In Motion
Spirit Of Spike Island
With a name that suggests soft hues and subtle colours, Pastel are a band who like to explode preconceived ideas, yet with a finely nuanced sound, it’s also a particularly apt moniker. This quintet hail from Manchester and given the style of music they play, lazy comparisons will always be drawn with the Gallagher brothers (after all, they supported Liam at his Knebworth gig) but Pastel definitely have their own thing going on as bombastic opener ‘Heroes Blood’ attests. With a cool swagger and all the needles in the red, it’s a sound that could shake even the most ardent somnambulist from their slumber. Those over a certain age will recognise the fuzzed up (and melodic) noise that tumbles from the speakers whilst younger listeners are in for a real treat. Each of the ten tracks comprising Souls In Motion have their own identity with ‘Isaiah’ being a fine exercise in neo-psychedelia whilst ‘Running On Empty’ is a high-octane blast of rock ‘n’ roll that comes heavily laden with chart-bothering potential. ‘Escape’ is an emotive closer and one that gives the heartstrings a good tug, it ensures you won’t forget Souls In Motion in a hurry, but when the music is this good, why would you?
Review by Peter Dennis.