Delusions Of Adequacy

Bouncing out from under the grey skies of England comes a new 7” from Merchandise, a duo that create hope filled little pop ditties to raise your spirits. The single, on nice white vinyl, is the first release for the group since 2004’s Lo-tech Solutions to Hi-tech Problems and veers away from the electronic tinged sound of that record. “Sometimes” and “Glitterati,” the songs that make up the single, are more in the vein of straightforward bedroom pop such as Badly Drawn Boy or the wistful longing of The Clientele than of the Boards of Canada comparisons their full length had drawn.

“Sometimes” starts off with a jaunty piano, parting the skies for the slice of sun that seeks to break through. Lyrically rather simple, “sometimes I feel like I’m all alone/no one rings me up on the telephone” for example, it soon gives way to cooing female backing vocals and shuffling drums underneath the chorus. Full of the promise of good days to come with a lover and some friends, it‘s an sly pop number that if not as well produced would easily fall into “twee“ territory. The first few listens didn‘t leave much of an impression until I found myself humming the verses in a classic moment of “what is that stuck in my head?” Though it‘s a rather saccharine few minutes it‘s quite infectious and sometimes that‘s what we could all use a little more of.

The B-side starts off in a similar manner with an electric piano tinkling a few simple notes before a piercing guitar line cuts right through. The crooning vocals of Brad B. Wood recall Ben Gibbard before being doubled up, layering over a slightly danceable beat. Merchandise get a lot of mileage out of the guitar, sustaining the notes for quite some time, which creates a nice tension. The ebb and flow between verses & chorus work remarkably well and it’s unfortunate really that the song is over far too soon. Not a bad slice of low key pop that should do well to start your day off with a positive step.