The inequity of numbers eh? What we have here is an EIGHT piece band, releasing a FOUR track EP lasting a mere TEN minutes with TWO of the tracks not even making it to the TWO minute mark!
Photons are San Franciscan twee and plan to hurtle four EPs at us this year with “Glory!” being the first of the quartet. Largely congregated bands for one thing don’t make much money (ask The Polyphonic Spree!) although must surely find it more difficult to bond together, yet Photons seem to have pulled it off. I’m not sure I could pick out the sound of the glockenspiel, bassoon or bulbul tarang, but I guess they all contributed somewhere along the line and have produced an engaging enough sound.
Orchestrally they produce a verdant noise as you’d expect, a tad similar to Arcade Fire, but the songs themselves are more mainstream jolly indie. Best track here is the title track, which chunders along sweetly with a distinctive American feel to it, a simplistic strumming guitar and strained vocals building to a rising climax.
On “Where Were You Last Night” there’s a warm camp fire atmosphere and reminded me a little of The Bees. The shorter tracks are a bit ‘throwaway’ but the overall package is nice enough and if bands like Vampire Weekend and Foals can gain such huge critical acclaim then this lot at least deserve a good listening to!
