Yonderboy - All Bob Minor/Too Easy Single Review

Leeds based 4 piece Yonderboy are just beginning to appreciate the fruits of their 3 year labour of love. Having previously co-released an EP, with fellow Yorkshire men, Just Shake Hands (We're British), the quartet have now been given the chance to shine alone on their second release the double A-Sided, 'All Bob Minor/Too Easy'. It's been a few years since the groups first single 'Vast Ocean' but the melodic indie pop and crisp harmonies are evident in abundance.

Previous comparisons to The Wedding Present and Orange Juice still stack up. The layered vocal treatments, precise instrumentation and clarity of sound coupled with the catchy hook laden arrangements are not necessarily of the moment. They have more in common with The House Martins or Gene than anything contemporary but that is half the charm. Singing songs about B&E in the house of God is right up Mr Morrisey's street, you even get a similar vocal intonation as "I pull out my shotty and point the nostle and spray, with your tongue planted firmly in my cheeks". The skipping bass beat and snare drum driven tune of All Bob Minor is a well observed, witty and character full commentary. Its flip side, Too Easy, is just as good although not necessarily as immediately obvious. The harmonic guitars backing the more solemn sentiment within the song release their pleasures at a slower more considered rate to begin with. Gathering pace throughout they relentlessly race towards a great crescendo at the finale.

On the evidence of their second single alone Yonderboy show the potential to be a fantastic band capable of carrying on the rarely irksome tradition of melodic inde pop with a wry Northern sensibility. When's the album out?

Andrew Lockwood.