The Dreaming Spires

Robin and Joe Bennett have quite a complicated pedigree. They’ve played with the likes of Goldrush, toured with Mark Gardner of Ride and collaborated with everyone else in the music industry. The latter is made up but you get the picture. So what should we expect from The Dreaming Spires new album?

Well for one a handful of near perfect pop music, the very agreeable summery Strange Glue is just the tops with I Didn’t know You in close pursuit with its exquisite Byrdlike harmonies. And it’s that era, with its flecks of Country music - the languid Easy Rider - that most comes to mind. They go a bit more towards psychedelia with When The Magic Comes which could easily have been the hit of the year back in late 60s.

But for all the faux nostalgia, this is a thoroughly modern album. The production is the right side of a T-cut and that’s helped create genuine warmth about these songs. The title track is a meandering deceptively simple amble while closer So Pretty is a delightful drifter with subtle use of organ and strings.

Though there’s a quasi mystical cosmic vibe about Searching for the Supertruth it is an easy album to absorb and like. It’s very pleasant and satisfies on a superficial level but a little more time with it will probably bring greater rewards.