Brothers In Brooklyn

Featuring members of indie hopefuls Danny & the Champions Of The World and Goldrush, The Dreaming Spires are an Oxford-based band that peddle a pretty infectious brand of shoegaze country, and Brothers In Brooklyn is their first stab at a full-length release since forming a few years ago. In many ways, this 11-track effort is like a sonic love letter to America and, in that spirit, the Tom Petty and Big Star influences on songs such as ‘Laughing & Dancing’ and ‘Singing Sin City’ are obvious to anyone with ears. The Teenage Fanclub-esque melodies are as warm and fuzzy as a hug from one of the residents of Sesame Street and while ‘Woman That You Are’ and ‘Strength Of Strings’ certainly won’t win them any points in the originality stakes, the old-school sensibilities on show will certainly earn them plenty of respect from those who appreciate classic songwriting. Solid.