If this isn’t the bizarrest record I’ve reviewed this year, it’s certainly the most homely. ‘Time Travel Opportunists Volume One’ is a split single for Christmas, but reached us in early January. Still, seeing as though I worked over Christmas (boo-hoo) this will do nicely. The two bands, Christmas Robin and Emphemetry, are ‘super bands’ made up of your usual DIY suspects, with members of Plans and Apologies, The Little Explorer and Mexico86 among the conspirers. Both bands feature one song apiece on the theme of Christmas, with a gaggle of lasses talking about Christmas in between tracks. It’s twee, cute, warm and loving, so full marks for effort.
The tracks themselves aren’t my cup of tea at all, but they’re as homely as Christmas Pudding in front of a well lit fire. Both are acoustic numbers, more set to a campfire than a Calorgas heating lamp, and both celebrate the joy of Christmas. If you’re a fan of the bands behind the project then this is a must. This CD-R was accompanied with a letter written on a typewriter and that kind of made it even more homely. There’s no doubt of the quality of the musicianship and the love that has been put into this release and the concept, but it’s not something I would personally purchase. Limited to just 100 copies, you can’t help but admire the thought behind it all.
www.thelittleexplorer.co.uk
www.plansandapologies.com
Paul