By Jason Barnard
Former London based John & Anthea Bliss, known as Clockwork Flowers, currently residing in Japan, have created a self-titled album frequently aping Abbey Road sounds circa 67. Often this approach produces derivative results and tracks that fall short of the music it aims to emulate. However with this duo’s song craft, attention to production detail and love for the psych era it proudly emerges a triumph.
First catching my attention is ‘Habit The Rabbit’, a ‘Corporal Clegg’ style number with a neat Sgt Pepper flourish. Interesting I think. Then there’s Lennon-esque ‘I Am Crying’ that echoes great British style songwriting, with a touch of Squeeze too. Mid-tempo love song ‘Moonlight Sky’ is the first of two songs co-written with former Velvett Fogg that keeps up the hit rate.
Vintage keyboards wash over ‘Wishing You Were Here’ with a ‘Getting Better’ guitar style refrain, it’s lovely stuff. Soulful organ kicks off ‘Timeless Beauty’; another gorgeous ballad that then weaves in mellotron, enter harpsichord before building into some more rather neat guitar licks.
Ending with ‘Clockwork Flowers’ with Keith Law’s reflective lyrics set perfectly to a Ray Davies style melody; a touching marriage of harmony and meaning. Throughout it’s an album of real heart and one that deserves a wide audience.
very accomplished band, but I doubt that they would be interested in a wide audience at all