How the Beatles may have sounded if they were still together? (Kontiki - Cotton Mather)

Member Name: cswann

Product:	Kontiki - Cotton Mather
Date:	18/09/00 (118 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: sublime Beatlesy pop

Disadvantages: none at all

Very like The Beatles (with John Lennon on vocal, and more psychedelic guitars), to the extent that you might think that you've heard some of these tunes before, that they are covers of lesser known Beatles songs (if there is such a thing nowadays). But they are also reminiscent of cult band Big Star (mid 70s) and more modern bands such as The Posies. But then the song "Vegetable Row" sounds more like the Gin Blossoms with Gerry Rafferty on vocals, singing a Bob Dylan song. There are a lot of influences in here, but overall Cotton Mather do manage to have their own sound. Some of the songs sound like they are sung through a megaphone, but I think it's just the nasal quality of singer Robert Harrison's voice.
Whether it's the gorgeous hooks of "My before and after", the intense tuneful grunge of "Church of Wilson", or "Spin my wheels" with its angelic harmonies, there's something here for everyone.
There isn't a single song on here that I don't like - and there are lots here that are just divine. The last song on the album, "Autumn's birds" is one such song, with a tender frailty about it - definitely leaves you wanting more.

Basically, it's good guitar pop, and just because it hasn't been played to death on the radio doesn't mean it's not worth checking out. I have seen a review of this (Q Magazine, I think) where it was given only 2 stars (presumably because they viewed it as a mere Beatles imitaton), but Uncut gave it 5. Me too.

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