As the work of two longtime Manchester musicians, it's no surprise Parlour Flames' eponymous 2013 album is steeped in northern lore, both lyrical and musical. Vinny Peculiar -- who has run with Luke Haines, the Smiths' rhythm section, and Bill Drummond in the past -- is responsible for the latter, while early Oasis rhythm guitarist Bonehead is responsible for the former, and the pairing is a little curious. Bonehead has wide but catholic tastes, loving the orchestration of Bacharach about as much as he loves thick cascades ...
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As the work of two longtime Manchester musicians, it's no surprise Parlour Flames' eponymous 2013 album is steeped in northern lore, both lyrical and musical. Vinny Peculiar -- who has run with Luke Haines, the Smiths' rhythm section, and Bill Drummond in the past -- is responsible for the latter, while early Oasis rhythm guitarist Bonehead is responsible for the former, and the pairing is a little curious. Bonehead has wide but catholic tastes, loving the orchestration of Bacharach about as much as he loves thick cascades of guitar, which is an appealing enough backdrop for Peculiar's sung-spoken poetry, but the two approaches don't necessarily seem to mesh. Instead, they seem to occupy common ground, appreciative of what the other is doing but never fully engaging with each other's approach. Consequently, Parlour Flames feels curiously stitched together, the work of a mutual admiration society where neither party quite feels at ease to suggest a direction for their partner. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi
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