XTC mastermind Andy Partridge has opened his heart and new label, Apehouse Records, to house not only his Fuzzy Warbles series (soon to number 6 discs total) and one release by him and Peter Blegvad, Orpheus, the Lowdown, but has also just recently added one very appropriate artist to the stable, the Milk And Honey Band. Named after that John Lennon album they may be, but they share more in common with Partridge's XTC than the Beatles or Lennon himself, among other influences.
Opening track "Way Too Long" shows as much influence from the aforementioned XTC as it does the Jayhawks, whom Robert White's warm vocals most resemble, as well as displaying nods here and there to Crowded House's Neil Finn and even, at various fleetingly-quick moments, Live's Ed Kowalczyk. It's an infectious, easy-going track that sets up more than a dozen similarly-inclined songs, but maybe the album wears a little thin at times due to an overall sameyness. Regardless, fans of latter-day XTC are sure to find much to love here, and Crowded House/Finn Bros. and Jayhawks fans will likely enjoy this too. Unfortunately unavailable in the US, it's worth tracking down.
(You know, the beautiful lull is site of the day. Well, okay, it's always site of the day in my eyes.)
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