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Sophia: People Are Like Seasons
It’s not as if the preposterously named Proper-Sheppard ever had it easy after relocating his most famous vehicle, experimental rock granddaddies The God Machine, from San Diego to London. A decade ago, bassist Jimmy Fernandez died of a brain tumour, the band imploded and a profound sense of gentle victories over crushing hopelessness is still conjured forth by this sad history.
Ten years on, this is how My Bloody Valentine would sound if Kevin Shields roped Bobby Gillespie into returning the favours he’s done for Primal Scream. There’s an unmistakable shoe-gazing vibe, but only if all those underachieving early ’90s bastards had occasionally glanced up from their size nines and taken in a little of the world.
A defiant, almost Billy Corgan-esque, lilt catches Proper-Sheppard’s voice on opener and forthcoming single, ‘Oh My Love’, which is typical of the mood; the tragic faraway sorrow of Sparklehorse married to something approaching The Dandy Warhols without a complete leering cunt for a frontman.
Faced with the kind of past events that strip any lust for life from your bones and pose the question, ‘what’s point of existence?’, it’s no surprise there are profound desolate pangs of soul-wrenching unhappiness. Look no further than the heartbreaking lyrics and painfully sad mourning orchestral refrains of ‘I Left You’. “I left you/but you never really felt that far away”. “I left you/cos it seemed to hurt us less than if I stayed”. “You don’t say much now/but what you do say just tears... tears my world apart”.
You can almost hear his voice crack as seven-minutes of funereal-paced tearful splendour unfurls in the most intricate way; a delicate butterfly of a song cowering in expectation of its imminent death at the hands of a cruel world. Powerful, beautiful stuff.
And as ‘Another Trauma’ trips carefully into the abyss while Proper-Sheppard croaks a quietly triumphant “yeah, yeah” mantra, it becomes clear. While it’s impossible to forget what’s gone before, he’s moving on slowly and respectfully in the only way he knows how, with courage that dearly deserves recognition.
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Sophia - People Are Like Seasons
I picked this album up randomly as i had a tenner burning a hole in my pocket and oh how i was rewarded for my wreckless spending, because in this small plastic disc lies some of the most beautiful and world-wise music i ever in years. This is the kind of album that you want to keep just for yourself, because it feels like it was produced it solely for you.
For any one who has ears or for someone thinking about getting a pair this is essential. -
Sophia - People Are Like Seasons
I agree. This is what I wrote for another site (albeit with a tight word limit!)...
SOPHIA
‘People Are Like Seasons’
My name is Chris, and I’m a music snob! There, I’ve said it. Easy! Actually, that’s not strictly true. I’ve come to learn that as much as you think you know about music, it’s easy for something to pass you by while one of life’s other distractions grabs your attention. SOPHIA passed me by until now.
Now on their THIRD studio album SOPHIA is the current vehicle for the songs of former GOD MACHINE frontman/guitar player Robin Proper-Sheppard. Sonically however SOPHIA are in total contrast to the dark intensity of his former band. Only on ‘Darkness’ or at the climax of the string accompanied ‘Desert Song No.2’ is their any sign of the apocalyptic white noise of the GOD MACHINE and even here it is more controlled and focused within the song itself. Lyrically there remains some similarity, “Sometimes you gotta let go. The world’s not a bad place, just watch what you show”. For the most part however ‘People Are Like Seasons’ is a collection of beautiful, mellow acoustic based songs. NEIL YOUNG (who I don’t like - Go figure!) comes to mind a few times, such as on opening track ‘Oh My Love’ and ‘Swept Back’, as do the mellower moments of ex SUEDE man BERNARD BUTLER, particularly on ‘Swore To Myself’ and ‘I Left You’. But it’s the simplicity of songs like ‘Holidays Are Nice’ that is just so appealing, “Holidays are nice, holidays are fun, holidays are wonderful…”
I took a chance on ‘People Are Like Seasons’, bought it on a whim without having heard a note and was blown away by the simplistic beauty of it. If you crave something different it may do the same for you.
UK dates:
Mar. 30 ’04: Islington Academy, London (UK), with M. Craft www.islington-academy.co.uk
Mar. 31 '04: Rescue Rooms, Nottingham (UK) www.rescuerooms.com
Apr. 2 ’04: Whelans, Dublin (IRL) www.whelanslive.com
Apr. 4 ’04: All Tomorrow's Parties, Camber Sands (UK) www.atpfestival.com SOLD OUT
Apr. 6 '04: Arts Centre, Colchester (UK) www.colchesterartscentre.com
Apr. 7 '04: Life Café, Manchester (UK) www.lifecafe.info
Apr. 8 '04: King Tuts Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow (UK) www.kingtuts.co.uk
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