By Writer Name
The New Mendicants is a new project between Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub) and Joe Pernice (Pernice Brothers) who just happened to end up as neighbours in Canada. It's something you couldn't really make up but let's be thankful for it did happen as this is something more than just another side project.
Into The Lime is, in short, one glorious fuzzball of glee and joy wrapped up in a faint 60's glow. Leaning towards the Byrds during their peerless Notorious Byrd Brothers phase, this is sunny psych that'll have you smiling through the dull winter months and beyond. Indeed, these songs are made for dancing around in a onesie at any summer festival.
The glorious 'Abandonment of Sarasota' kicks the album off and it's worth noting that songs like this used to get to number one in the charts. No chance of that now but who really cares, let them have their crap and leave the good stuff for us. Why not throw in a Christmas song too..pure Fanclub action.
'Cruel Annette' delivers harmonies to die for and bring to mind those halcyon days of Crosby, Stills and Nash, only for it to break down into the most delightful harmonica break whilst 'Follow You Down' delves deeper. This is completed by 'Shouting Match' which is the closest to the Fanclub sound but still with enough Pernice to make it stand out.
The absolute highlight on an album full of them is 'High On The Skyline' which is a prime example of classic songwriting and has a complete, timeless feel about it. Verging on the epic and orchestral, it is a stunning addition to a second half of an album which takes it's time over the joy of the first half. More mellow, this is then interrupted by the most interesting song, 'Lifelike Hair', which bounds along on a Krautrock beat and sounds nothing like what has gone before.
It works though, and that is the magic of this album. Everything slots into place and delivers in all the right places. You want joy? Check. You want introspection? Check. You want a fine batch of songs? Check. Buy this album and make your world a better place.
