In the 80s, The Jasmine Minks released some pretty good indie pop music on the iconic Creation Records. Jim Shepherd, the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter of the UK band, thought it was about time for his first solo album, and The Circle has everything you could expect from it. The musician still proves to know how to write good tunes! These are 12 brand new songs in which different styles come together – let’s describe it as haunted indie rock with jangly guitars and harmony vocals, with power pop and psych influences – and yet it feels like a unambiguous collection. The quality of this LP is also due to the backing by a supergroup featuring Dave Morgan (The Loft, the Weather Prophets, Subway Sect) on drums and production, Frank Sweeney (The June Brides) on strings and keyboards and Arash Torabi (The June Brides, The Distractions, Beat Hotel) on bass, with guest vocals by Tommy Reid (The Jasmine Minks), Beth Arzy (The Luxembourg Signal, Jetstream Pony), Aberdeen’s Vapor Trails and Marianne Dissard. Nothing has been left to chance for this to be a successful comeback, and a successful comeback it is.
The Circle is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through Spinout Nuggets.
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