Alanalda & Dermostat & Ican Ican't

"their use of violin brings echoes of Scarlet Riviera on Dylan's Desire album." "In The Past has a Waterboys gloss to it, but it's neither pastiche nor imitation, and it has some neat guitar playing. Steve's Shirt....a poignant song that hovers nicely between genuine sentimentality and warm-hearted whimsy, with a build-up to a fine chorus" - Jackie Hayden - Hot Press

It's not very often in the current climate of hook-stealing and lyric photocopying that you get the chance to hear something really different. Therefore, this Alanalda demo officially qualifies as an audio treat: sound chocolate, ear candy, soul cookies. Yes, soul cookies. You heard me.
The first track, The Past, is like a jaunty stroll down tree-lined avenues, with small pauses to pet dogs and smile at babies. The second track, Always Someone Watching, is much more upbeat: think skipping down Carnaby Street trailing ribbons from each hand. There's quirkiness, happiness, melody, and above all, there's a slightly sardonic smile. For a split second, you might imagine you hear a little Kaiser Chiefs, then a little Madness pops in there, then a smidgen of Cake, then you hear the swell of violins and realise. You realise that everyone sounds of something... but Alanalda sound like everything and more. Which makes them original, insomuch as anything is original. And then you smile.
The lyrics are something else altogether: bizarre. Random, and wholly brilliant. Dermot O'Leary sings like he doesn't care - not to say he's careless, more carefree. The third track, Steve's Shirt, is about buying a shirt from a thrift store with a name written in the label.
But this shirt is no longer his, it's mine, and I wear it all the time.
So I guess that I'll just cross out his name, and I'll fill in mine instead.
Yes, random. But wholly refreshing, because I don't know if you agree, but I'm really really sick of songs about how much in love / not in love with some girl / boy / place / carrot the singer is. I do not care. I'm actually much more interested in some shirt some guy bought for 50 cents. It's got that desperate.
Yes, folks, Alanalda are different... messy, clanky, sweet, classic, peculiar... running out of adjectives here... well, work it out for yourselves. What's more, they recorded the whole demo in various living rooms. I probably ruined it there, since you can't tell. Watch out for this lot. I rate this my demo of the summer, and it therefore receives a 9. - www.rawkstar.net

Slick, tasty and mean. Much like that greasy sausage roll you're going to fight me for later. The melodies here are of the towering and timeless variety, sheeted out with madder than early Cockney Rebel violins, sniped out with guitar or vaseline splashed with sweet vox. The influences are classic, easily spotted, but coming in cutely new combinations ; "Always Someone Watching" is that ole Cockney Rebel stealing from The Beatles while "In The Past" marches Johnny Cash straight into dark night of Steeleye Span. "Steve's Shirt" is something all of their own, something beautiful too. - WWW.UNPEELED.CO.UK