Turin Brakes: Olly Knight, Gale Paridjanian.
On JACKINABOX, it sounds as if London-based urban-folk duo Turin Brakes have moved permanently to the California coast. From the top-down, wind-in-the-hair ride of the opener "They Can't Buy the Sunshine" to the Crosby, Stills, & Nash melodicism of "Forever" and the avant-country groove of "Asleep With the Fireflies," this album is clearly rooted in the blissed-out aesthetic of late-'60s/early-'70s Los Angeles. However, Turin Brakes's native influences haven't left them entirely; Belle and Sebastian are lurking in the wings of much of JACKINABOX, and the punchy pop of "Over and Over" is pure Britpop songcraft filtered through the lazy, sun-baked vibe of the beach instead of the pub or the dancefloor.
What the critics say...
Uncut (p.90) - 3 stars out of 5 - "From mellifluous acoustics and funk-jazz via pop anthems and bossa nova, this is a freewheeling, feel-good record."
Magnet (p.112) - "The less-is-more approach suits them, as their gorgeous songs need no embellishment."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.100) - 4 stars out of 5 - "[They] have taken a sonic quantum leap with JACKINABOX, crafting a fresh egg-warm and mohair-soft nest for their luscious melodies."
