Aberfeldy
Do Whatever Turns You On
Rough Trade/Shock


Aberfeldy's debut album 'Young Forever' was one of my favourite records of 2005. It was recorded live in front of one microphone. Its arrangements were simple, its songs were beautiful, its harmonies were magical. It was pop music delivered from its unnecessary complexities, revealing the humanity within. 'Do Whatever Turns You On' gives us our first taste of Aberfeldy in context - it is a real album, complete with overdubs and arrangement trickery. And though it loses the quaint puritanism of its predecessor, it is still an enormously enjoyable record.

If - Then starts off with a nice slice of pop bliss (particularly the "Before you know, we'll be good to go" pre-chorus), but the record really gears up with the downbeat There You Go. The electronic introduction to Poetry is nice enough, but it's when it gives way to guitar glory that things get interesting. Very interesting. And the synthesized madness of the title track, well sure it's something of a clichˇ, has the most amazing harmonies and it's done with such finesse...

Aberfeldy is not quite as accomplished as fellow countrymen Belle And Sebastian, but in a way that's a good thing, as it gives us the same joy within a less polished, less certain framework. I also hear that Aberfeldy started its life as a Devo cover band. Now, that's as good a reason as any to start up a bandwagon. Their two albums are great, don't get me wrong, but if they ever tour Australia, I'll be the one up the front screaming for Mongoloid.

Ben Revi