It’s all in the song. Or at least it should be in the wonderful world of music but style too often triumphs over substance. It was therefore refreshing to encounter an album full of well crafted songs such as this debut from Denham, Reed and Rosenthal,
These three wise men even manage to sound quintessentially British as well with echoes of the entire history of popular music song writing in this country appearing in their songs. Add the inherent politeness that comes from being well brought up (they do look well brought up, by the way) and they easily and discreetly sneak under your skin. Of course they have songs about girls – it’s a necessity - like the Syd Barrett on a rational day “Eliza” and the vaguely Chinn and Chapman “Imogen”. Just to further prove their credentials they’ve even got songs that would make Ray Davies smile approvingly like “Career Girl” and “Dark Danceroom Floors”.
The neatly understated production seems appropriate here as this isn’t an album to claim fame with. It is more of a celebration of the songwriter’s art highlighting Denham, Reed & Rosenthal’s intelligent and melodic style. I don’t know if they will ever achieve fame under their own names but I reckon that, in the future, you might well find their name in the credits to someone else’s fame. For now, you have proof that music isn’t as dead and buried as the current crop of fame seekers on the telly would have you believe.