Oh God! I've just listened to a chart album. In spite of the inverse snobbery that I am prone to - if you've even heard of them then you must be related to them – as wordsmith to a thousand tortured bedsit princes and princesses pouring out their angst in 4/4 time, I have to admit to taking a liking to this, the fourth album from Alabama sisters The Pierces.
"You & I" is undoubtedly a commercial album with judicious- and sometimes not if you consider the near plagiarism of "Kissing You Goodbye" - use of every kind of melodious soft folk rock influence that a man (or indeed women) of fine musical taste might draw upon. I wonder if perhaps this album was a deliberate stab at stardom, which would perhaps explain the presence of a piece of Coldplay in the producer's chair, rather than a development of their quirky musical style and, if that were so, such is their charm that I would need a much harder heart than mine not to forgive them for following that path.
Anyway, harmonies are the key thing here and siblings Allison and Catherine deliver the goods with the expected swirling elegance borne of genetic compatibility bringing much to gladden the ears. To pick my favourites, "Space & Time" and the endearingly laconic "Drag You Down" stand right out and make you believe in what these sisters can do.
Remarkably given the subtlety that such expressive voices are capable of, The Pierces get saddled with a bombastic production and one of the most overcooked mastering jobs that I have ever had the misfortune to hear. "You & I" is a good album. I am sure of that. The Pierces have considerable talent. That too is a fact. A cynic might however think that they have been subjected – or have subjected themselves – to the will of a record company that doesn't actually know what to do with the real thing.