The charmingly goofy music on Shopping Trolley's only album has a vague resemblance to Manhattan Transfer -- but British, wildly eccentric, and more than a little stoned. The songs are intelligent and stylish jazz-pop, alternately somber and delirious, performed with crisp harmonies and manic tempos. The vocals are nothing short of stellar, technically brilliant but delivered with enough character that there's no chance you'll mistake this band for anyone else. Anyone born very far from London will be bewildered by at least ...
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The charmingly goofy music on Shopping Trolley's only album has a vague resemblance to Manhattan Transfer -- but British, wildly eccentric, and more than a little stoned. The songs are intelligent and stylish jazz-pop, alternately somber and delirious, performed with crisp harmonies and manic tempos. The vocals are nothing short of stellar, technically brilliant but delivered with enough character that there's no chance you'll mistake this band for anyone else. Anyone born very far from London will be bewildered by at least one lyrical reference in each song, but some references become clear by context and other puzzles are best ignored -- just listen to the trippy music and don't worry about exactly what and who the band is talking about. It isn't deep music -- it's fun and quirky pop, and done very well, too. Shopping Trolley was too odd to make it in the mainstream, but in retrospect it's surprising that the band never spawned a cult audience. ~ Richard Foss, Rovi
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