Murmurate, Oscillate is the third album by Chorley Indie duo British Birds, who are Bobby and Emma Townson with Dominic Lawson, Michael Aindley and James Robinson.
The album opens with Ride Alone that doesn't have any noticeable bird noises sadly, unless they have been treated and hidden, a song of the joys of being on your own sometimes, while out and about, that goes from sweet indie pop, to what sounds like a kazoo solo towards the end, with some lovely harmonies in-between.
Lie Down With Dogs Stand Up With Fleas is the main single that takes aim at the absurdity of politics in the 2020's, the worry of what you might catch if you get involved, the backing vocals are very Bis, while the main vocal gets deep into the malaise, with wit, sarcasm and the gasps of disbelief of where we are, try not to drink the USA Kool aid if you want to stay safe.
Polka Dot Eyes has jangling intensity and skittery cymbal rhythms that could be stolen from a 1950's be-bop jazz record, while they wonder what they've done to you to give you those Polka Dot Eyes, that are almost as bad for you as Primal Screams optical complaint, it will leave you with PTSD, if you hear the call to join up and fight in another stupid unwinnable war.
Bayonet has slacker indie vocals, wanting to get high in the morning, like they would rather wake and bake than shake and vac, while searching for just the right coconut shell to tap out that beat, while we work out just what kind of behaviour bayonetting is and why it destroys friendships.
Thunder Claps sounds nothing like anyone called Newman, but is seeking silver linings without any hi ho's to help you along the way, but plenty of Stones style Coo Coo Ca Choos before a cool bassline brings those Thunder Claps close enough for the synths to work their way through the showers and Lightning.
Murmurate, Oscillate the title song has a gentle underlying hum and subtle drums, vocals twisting around each other like they are dancing in the sky, like the starlings over the Houses Of Parliament each evening, guitars go off and it gets rather intense, swarming round your ears and infesting you with the joy of British Birds doing what British Birds are meant to do, before the very calm outro.
Blame Game has Emma sounding more like Jodie Langford about to rant like crazy but instead, keeping her burning anger just about under control, while the Blame Game gets underway in a quiet effectively menacingly calm way, that keeps you up at night counting sheep.
Stuck In A Room and they can't get out, yet they are not prisoners to bilingual gaolers, just having reached that point were going out is such a fright, they can't get off the couch to go and do anything outside.
Scary Movies of the sort your grandad showed you on a Friday night, the ones that used to be on Channel 4 at midnight no doubt, Grandad has taken his false teeth out and is trying to scare you before you can even notice any resemblance, to the sunshine of your life in Hellraiser or Silence Of The Lambs, this song is in the vein of Moustache Of Insanity's Lynn Lowry.
Just Like Them is for anyone thinking of being a typical clone in life, they won't be just like them they encourage you to make your own sweet indie music and be yourself, while trying to get the hell out of the mean streets of Chorley before the end of the world.
The album closes with Two Dead Bees with bucolic feelings of being dumped and being unable to stand up, you are so far in the grips of depression, pain and sorrow, getting spacey and ready to fly the coop, if you don't have a heart attack first, while nursing a serious Turmeric habit, I hope they are just spooning it into their coffee, rather than snorting lines, kids today, whatever next, while almost going full on Grocer Jack with the building chorus for those Two Dead Bees that bring harmony to their lives.
Find out more at https://britishbirds.bandcamp.com/album/murmurate-oscillate https://linktr.ee/britishbirds https://www.facebook.com/britishbirdsband
