Review - Friends Of The Bride 'You Can't Take Him Anywhere'

When a band has a list of influences that include Bobbie Gentry, Mel Tormé, Booker T & The MGs, Jacques Dutronc, Nancy Sinatra, Norman Jay MBE, Sammy Davis Jr and The Temptations, you've godda wonder what the hell you're gettin'. Well, that's the number that influences Friends of the Bride, who, for my money, should've included Scott Walker in there too. Friends of the Bride make their pop big. There's no two ways about it. This is pure undiluted pop music made for singing along to. Mebbe in the car. Or whilst doing the dishes.

The new single, You Can't Take Him Anywhere, is a weird mix of spy movie and descending Kinks' kords. The singer, simply called Bobby, has an impressive set of pipes on him. When he croons "there's pain in his voice and booze on his breath" it's hard not to think of Scott Walker on his first four solo LPs. B-side, Hey, Buddy!, is another odd track which mixes the word "Lincolnshire" with jazzy folk and a sixties' styled lounge rocker. Give it a listen on their Myspace page. The single is out March 10th on Brainlove Records.