Mad Staring Eyes
Album: Talking To The Operator
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 11
Website: http://madstaringeyes.co.uk/

So you are band and you are recording in the folk rock / country rock style. You've got the rhythm section down; bass and drums are sorted. You've an acoustic guitar and some nice male / female vocal harmonies going on and you're sounding Fairport'ish, CSNY'ish. To reinforce that country sound you add some pedal steel, y'know Sneaky Pete style. Then you decide you want something else, something a little different. So you get a flautist or flutist if you prefer. Either way, Mad Staring Eyes have all the classic components of a country rock band; and a bloke who plays the flute.

The thing is, you don't listen to them and think "Why?" you listen to them and think "Why isn't every band doing this?" It is probably because it takes more than an unconventional instrument to make an album sound as good as 'Talking to the Operator'. First class songs are essential and in the title track, 'A Little of What You've Got' and the melancholic 'Feel Your Pain' they've got the right vibe.

The vocals contrast the gruffness of Alex Simler and the sweetness of Isabella Tulloch (personally I would like for her to sing lead on a couple of tracks). Dan Bloom on bass and Ollie Darley on drums do what every good rhythm section should do - keep things simple and solid. The pedal steel of Henry Senior adds lushness to their sound and the afore mentioned flute of Pierpaolo Sicuro sets them apart from others.

Talking to the operator is a very fine album by a very fine band.

John 'The Jacket' Hawes