Deary - Birding

I engaged with this London-based trio from the off. Of all the new wave of shoegaze acts, deary seemed to have honed in on the Slowdive sound best of all. Since then, there have been 7”s, 10’’s, live packages, remixes, and a couple of EPs, but at no point has the magic or anticipation of a forthcoming release dulled. So to opener ‘Smile’. The gossamer sheen present in almost all of their previous work has been peeled back a touch. The drums are punchier, the guitars are edgier, the vocals more distinct. This makes sense as it speaks to the epidemic of violence against women and needs to be heard. ‘Seabird’ is the lead single for this album and a decent representation of the evolution of deary’s sound, more defined, heavier, and more powerful. ‘Baby’s Breath’ is classic Slowdive, with the subtle shimmer of the guitar echo. ’Gypophilia’, the Latin for baby’s breath, is a dreamlike version of the previous track, like an extended cut. ‘Blue Ribbon’ is a mark of the highest quality and is rather apt in this circumstance. ‘Garden of Eden’ is a delightful stripped-back folk track which helps make it an album highlight.

‘Alfie’ soars past the 7-min mark and dominates the album. The opening drum pattern recalls Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill before taking off in a huge way à la Star Roving. deary are breathing new life into a genre beloved by many for more than 35 years.