Having recently played a huge outdoor gig in Wythenshaw to the biggest crowd of their career, and in and amongst a sea of swirling rumours of having nabbed the coveted support slot on the upcoming Oasis reunion tour, Stockport indie icons Blossoms have now found the space to grace us with their highly anticipated fifth album, Gary.
Who is Gary, you may ask? He’s an eight foot tall fibreglass gorilla that was stolen from a garden centre in Scotland, of course! Frontman Tom Ogden heard about the incident on the radio and was inspired to write a song about it, which went on to become the album’s title track.
“The heart of this record is about the five of us recording live in a room together for the first time in years.” says Ogden. “We wanted to capture the energy of what it’s like when five friends decide to start a band and make music together.” It’s Blossoms’ first release on their own label, ODD SK, and features production from long time friend of the band James Skelly of The Coral, alongside contributions from Jungle’s Josh-Lloyd Watson and Mercury Prize nominated Irish singer-songwriter CMAT.
Kicking off with big guitars and bold drums, epic opener ‘Big Star’ is a call back to the classic rock days, while chic riffs and bouncing bass lines abound in the apologetic anthem ‘What Can I Say After I’m Sorry?’
Heartbreak shifts to humour as the album’s fun and frivolous title track recounts the plight of Gary the gorilla. “The song itself is the centrepiece of the album” explains Ogden. “After toying with different titles, we kept going back to Gary. In the end, it could only be ‘Gary’.” Rightly so, as this catchy crime caper is certainly a standout, and has fast become a fan favourite since being released as a single.
Riffing on Blondie’s ‘Rapture’, ‘I Like Your Look’ sees Ogden and CMAT exchanging stylish quips, while ‘Nightclub’ is another jovial frolic that details a desperate attempt to get into a club, presumably one that’s hosting a disco night by the sounds of it.
Stepping into a moment of self reflection, ‘Perfect Me’ addresses the heavy topic of self idealism by wrapping it up into an upbeat treat. “I’ve got to smile honestly/A good night’s rest, eight hours sleep” sings Ogden. As the chorus creeps up, he reassuringly admits: “I’ve come to my senses/Life’s not easy/It leaves you guessing/Just keep breathing”.
A laidback tribute to friendship through the ages, ‘Mothers’ soft sixties sound is punctuated by the tongue in cheek lyric “At the club/Dance to The Smiths/And Rick Astley”. Blossoms and Astley performed a set of Smiths covers together a while back, and it seemingly went well enough that the eighties icon was invited back by the band to star in the music video for ‘Gary’ (the song).
‘Cinnamon’ strips it right back with a sugary folk feel, while ‘Slow Down’ is a hazy daze that brings to mind a trip gone wrong. It’s bass thumps along like a beating pulse, then fuzzy guitar cuts through, resuscitating the track before it flatlines.
Wrapping up, ‘Why Do I Give You The Worst Of Me?’ is swimming with surf rock strumming and vocals that ride the rising wave. The track then terminates abruptly, however this sonic suntan leaves a mark on the mind that won’t fade anytime soon.
Blossoms have arguably beaten themselves at their own game with Gary, a collection of arrestingly catchy, carefree pop songs that are sure to steal the hearts of fans and newcomers alike.
‘Gary’ is out 20th September via ODD SK
