PREVIEW

PARAFFIN OIL SHOP

It might not be rock and roll to come from Widnes (Marilyn Manson screaming 'Heeelllooo Wiiidneeesss!!!' anyone?) but PARAFFIN OIL SHOP are doing it. Also, naming your band after a pub on Edge Lane, one of the very arteries of Liverpool, does sort of readdress the balance. Introductions first, the group consist of lead singer Daniel Pye, guitarist AJ Rathbone, bassist Kieran Joyce and Andrew Finney on drums. They are currently combining work on new material with extensively touring the Northwest and could be seen recently in venues such as Manchester's Moho Live and the Night And Day Café. Oh, and their MySpace page boasts having recently had their first ever pit at a gig. Moving on to what really matters though, the songs and the band have some obvious strong suits. They have solid material and Life For A White Light in particular stands out. It's melodic indie done well, engulfing the listener with an enticing guitar loop within thirty seconds and pushing on from there. Throughout the likes of Angel And Elephant, Traffic and Towers and Sky a keen sense of song-writing skill is evident and Pye's Brian Malko-esque vocals lend well to the narrative style of the lyrics. They grow on you too with repeated listens, being layered to good affect. Fans of Thirteen Senses and Shady Bard should certainly investigate further.
Pete Robinson