Spearmint front man SHIRLEY LEE'S recent eponymous solo début was one of those well-observed, literate guitar-pop albums that all-too often ends up grubbing around in the margins these days.
From said parent album come two very different, but equally enticing concoctions making up a download-able double A-side. 'Dissolving Time' is about as strident and breathless as the LP gets and, after shimmering its' way through its' fade-in, simply detonates with feeling. Energetic and urgent, with a constant growling undertow of bass, it's got a killer kiss-off line (“how can you die if you haven't ever lived?”) and ends fatally and abruptly. It's a hell of a wake up call after the relatively gentle, country-tinged 'Smack of Pavement In Your Face' single he had out a while back.
Nominal B-side 'Spiralina Girl' is slightly more typical melodic fare, in love with both the girl and Lee's native London. It's full of lovely, intimate observations (“she drinks Spiralina, a bobby-soxer girl/ she is the best kisser in the world”) and is over far way, way too quickly.
There's also an additional, downloadable 'third' track which theoretically turns this into an EP. Said track, 'Restless Soul' is a real enigma. Such is the quality of its' glorious, Tindersticks-y melody, your reviewer was beginning to wonder why it was being thrown away in such a cavalier fashion, but then our Shirl – with some feeling – sings “you're a cunt, you've always been a cunt.” Ah, now the penny's dropping. He's not finished yet, either, as there's also room for “if someone's good to you, then fuck them over and over.” Oh-kay. I'm convinced. Er, I think this could be the sound of intelligent vitriol being liberally lobbed. It's a riot, actually, if an extremely sweary one.
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Once you've got over the shock, it provides another reason why you should probably let Shirley Lee's songs into your life. Besides, you could always 'accidentally' leave 'Restless Soul' on when the vicar comes round for tea. Now that would be fun
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