The Occasional Keepers - True North

Bei The Occasional Keepers handelt es sich um so etwas wie eine „Sarah Records Supergruppe“, denn in ihr spielen Bobby Wratten (The Field Mice, Northern Picture Library, Trembling Blue Stars), Gerard „Caesar“ McInulty und Carolyn Allen (beide The Wake) zusammen. Als zusätzlicher Gast durfte noch Beth Arzy (Aberdeen, Trembling Blue Stars) im Studio begrüßt werden.
Nach „The Beauty Of The Empty Vessel“ (2005) ist mit „True North“ nun das zweite Album der Occasional Keepers erschienen, das sie erneut zusammen mit Ian Catt (Saint Etienne, Heavenly) produziert haben. Freunden aller oben genannten Bands zu empfehlen.

(...) the trio's ten songs on True North follow pretty directly in the vein of the debut. It's a bit simplistic to say that any indie-pop/Sarah Records freak will automatically love this album, perhaps, but it's a bit hard to hear how they couldn't; if all participants involved aren't going to produce anything surprising at this stage of the game, there's an elegant, perfect detail to the whole album that makes it a straightforward continuation of where they've been.
(Ned Raggett, All Music Guide)

Unsurprisingly it's luxurious pop all the way, varying in tempo from ambient to the gently giddy. Classier than any twee meeting of minds. If they get too earnest at points the sharp heart that lurks in their poignant acoustics makes them one to keep.
(John Earls, Planet Sound)

„If The Ravens Leave“ (MP3)