Reviewed by Tony Cummings

Judging from the handful of recordings they made, Carbon 14/C-14 were one of the best unsigned bands ever who deserved the big record deal and a huge following but had to settle for a niche following among discerning alt rock fans. Now comes a new band who've grown out of their remnants and again I am hugely impressed. Ex-C-14 men Jim Jones (vocals, guitar), Al Kendall (bass) and Ken Kerslake (drums) have joined forces with Peter Bruntnell (guitars, pedal steel, harmonica, juno and vocals) and the result is a subtle, multi-layered, finely textured delight. Jim is a fine singer and a fine lyricist and using his consummate songsmith skills he manages to write songs which pinpoint the contradictions of our world and sometimes ache with longing for the divine yet never fall into religious cliché. Try "Ready For You Now" ("When all the stolen dreams of yesterday are gone/I catch a glimmer of the light you shine upon/And for a moment all distractions fade away/I am opened into your captivity/I am ready for you now"). Elsewhere songs deal with the illusionary trivialities of our modern world ("Real Life"), being haunted by the memory of a lost love ("Amnesiac") and running from darkness into light ("The Running Song"). Throughout the arrangements are subtly nuanced and Jim's achingly wistful voice glides effortlessly across the emotive alt rock soundscapes and this is unquestionably a brilliant album. Don't follow the clones into Coldplay miserablism. Locate an album suffused with hope as well as longing.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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