January - I Heard Myself In You (2001)

January’s vocalist Simon McLean has a hugely ambitious streak matched only by Sarah Peacock's lavish guitar strokes. Signed to Alan McGee’s Poptones label the bands influences are easy to pinpoint, splicing Teenage Fanclub's ear for melody with occasional My Bloody Valentine molten guitar assaults. Wherever you look on this album you'll be struck by the arch melody ingrained in January's music. It has a laid-back acoustic stance but is certainly not limited by this ambition. There are quite a few introspective moments liked 'Fused' and 'Invisible Lines' but the album exudes a sonic energy that belies it's somewhat minimalist approach. 'Invisible Lines' is a particularly absorbing, harmonious slice of shiver inducing pop. Just perfect for the moment you discover that elusive Thai beach.

'All Time' starts off so acoustically, it’s hard to pick up on the chords. Quite out of the blue then it attains the aura of an epic, the guitar layers fuse and play off each other perfectly. McLean sounds star struck yet powerful and the whole effect is uplifting even though its inspiration has its roots in melancholy. The final minutes contain some supremely ragged guitar effects that propels the whole affair. 'Sequence Start' has a fragmented feel to it with the jaunty guitars camouflaging the carnivorous riffs that lie ahead. Taking surreal pointers from the Kevin Shields handbook of hazy distortions is one thing but conjuring something that the great man would be proud of himself displays January's immense potential. 'Sequence Start' is one of the outstanding tracks in an album filled with highlights.

'Contact Light' has Peacock pulling the sweetest of guitar chord progressions this side of jangle city. Not for the first time the singer sports that familiar shoegazing vocal of old. It is wispy, ethereal and imbued with a heart breaking sadness. In the context of the most sublime of riffs, this is deeply affecting stuff. January remind me most of a Scottish band called Whiteout who were capable of writing little pop gems (and releasing them on the b-sides of their singles). 'Projections' has a crawling country chord. Its sweet harmonies are a constant feature of the album as a whole. 'Through Your Skies' has notions of 'Carnival of Light' period Ride with vocals that resemble Mark Gardner, while Sarah Peacock could easily be Andy Bell toiling with a slide guitar in the background. Elsewhere 'Eyes All Mine' has a neat repetitive bassline, sandwiched between gorgeous guitar slivers, moog dalliances and Mclean's weeping vocals. Live favourite 'Falling In' is like that track you normally uncover at the end of a truly great album where the band rawk out under a blaze of guitar fury. Thankfully this approach more or less succeeds even though it sounds curiously not of this time, in an ea rly Verve type of way.

I Heard Myself in You espouses a forever changing guise. It resembles a collection of songs taken from several different albums. While the music often takes centre stage it is hard not be taken in by Mclean's words. There are glimpses of January's influences on nearly all of the tunes but their sound is robust enough to stand proud as their unique creation. This band is supremely gifted and 'I Heard Myself In You' is a courageous album full of promise. Anyone with a soft spot for shimmering guitars and soft textured vocals will be blown away. It is surely only a matter of time before the world becomes entranced by their spellbinding music.

Rating: 7.5/10

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