There are times when even ears as understanding as mine are led to wonder why a world as full of music should be as predictable as it is. Where is the offbeat pop music of those times gone by but not forgotten and would they perhaps be found in “Morning Hours”, the third album by Italian band Lora and The Stalkers?
Lora and The Stalkers do indeed pull many a stylisation from the retro sounds of yesterday yet there is more here than multiple cases of sonic reinvention. The songs on this album have a thematic consistency, and one that seems more serious than flighty, yet the combination of organic and synthetic sounds with this band’s endearing quirkiness makes the end result exude sugar coated ear friendliness whilst hiding that emotional directness just below the surface.
So, this is actually pop music but not of the mass market manufactured type. The lyrics – all in English, by the way – have both substance and sharp edges but Lora and The Stalkers have not forgotten that a song that is intended to stay in the memory needs to have a chorus and, most importantly, that stamp of individuality. Lora and The Stalkers write songs that have the polish and accessibility of good pop music seasoned with their trademark offbeat sensibilities and, while the result is more heavyweight this time around than might have been expected, this is still a band that can take you all the way to the bridge time and time again.
Available from Bandcamp on CD and from the usual digital places.
Best song: “Morning Drive”
Verdict: A worthy third album