Antiqcool – Songs Of Hope And Despair

Hailing from... Err... Okay so nobody seems exactly sure where the illusive Pete Smith comes from [Chester! ed.] and with no apparent gig listings you do start to wonder who this guy is? If anything the cloak of mystery makes this unique style of music he describes as: The Police arrest Fleetwood Mac defended by Crosby Stills and Nash in Simon and Garfunkel's Crowded House even more intriguing.

The self-description of the music is reasonably accurate, but this is no regurgitated mish-mash of what's gone before and actually feels refreshing and modern. Songs Of Hope And Despair is a relaxed, thoughtful album with immense depth both lyrically and musically. Packed with soothing harmonies and intricate guitars Antiqcool are obviously adept musicians putting down the perfect musical arrangement for the high-pitched, mellow and subtly English vocal of Pete Smith.

The inter-twining guitars and perfectly executed vocal harmonies of I Can See Where You’re Coming From make it my standout track. With a distinctly Crowded House vibe to it this track seems to have a subtle attitude to it with lyrics like: Think you're gonna take control, well I got news for you, you’d better follow through, if talking's the best you can do, I wouldn't wanna be in your shoes. Another favourite would be the infectiously catchy stylings of Pearl.

Antiqcool are indeed very good at what they do, but don’t seem to push their own boundaries far enough. By all means stick to what you know but this album does seem to be at one tempo all the way through with many songs sounding very similar. Despite this, Songs Of Hope And Despair is well written, impeccably recorded and full of that chilled late summer vibe.