| With its icey blue minimalist sleeve-artwork
      surrounding thirteen mainly sub-three-minute
      ditties, Revelino have produced an album
      of tuneful, guitar driven pop with enough
      hooks, licks and grooves to mark them out
      as instant contenders. A new Dublin combo,
      risen from the ashes of The Coletranes, Revelino
      will simultaneously make their live debut
      with the release of their eponymously-titled
      gem. If they can cut it on stage as well
      as they do in the studio, they`ll have little
      to fear.
 A host of influences permeates but doesn't
      dominate their sublime tapestry and there
      are distinct echoes of the Beatles, Murmur-era
      REM (esp. Takin' Turns), classic Brit-Pop
      à la Kinks and Squeeze with a nod towards
      The Byrds and Beach Boys in the jangly department.
      Ultimately though, it's the sheer sonic urgency
      that impresses most - the album was recorded
      in just ten days, the band obviously confident
      in their ability to make a record on instinct.
 
 The opener, 'Happiness is Mine' - a restrained
      rocker with a big echoey bass and drum sound
      has vocalist Brendan Tallon sounding like
      John Lennon on 'Come Together'. 'My Bones'
      generates even more heat with a great guitar
      riff and 'Hello', the current single, is
      as good a calling card for their eloquent
      tunesmithery as anything else included here.
      On 'World Going Down', the most Kinks-like
      track, he even sounds like Ray Davies and
      the disonant guitar solo on 'No Forever Girl'
      lends an appropriate pyschedelic edge
 
 Tallon writes all the songs too and the sometimes
      complex chord progressions belie their straight-forward,
      no-nosense execution. From the pleading restraint
      of 'Don't Lead Me Down', to the new-wavey
      and brilliant 'Libertine' he maintains a
      consistent standard without lapsing into
      formula. The mood softens on 'She's Got the
      Face', a wonderfully atmospheric ballad with
      classic status written all over it and a
      Crazy-Horse style fuzz tone mood creeps into
      'Slave' and the album's closer, 'Tonight'.
 
 All throughout, the rhythm section is rock
      solid, the harmonies pristine and the songs
      beg for attention. Revelino - doesn't that
      mean revelation in Italian? It should! Classy
      stuff.
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