Hailing from the melting-pot Brixton area of South London, The Melodic are an intrinsically British folk rock band. Effra Parade is their first full-length, and was recorded in a makeshift studio that was previously one of the band members’ bedrooms. Due to this, the debut has a naturally gritty sound. The group was influenced by the prevalence of Caribbean jazz and Afropop music in Brixton, which separates the act from other Britpop bands.
Effra Parade is an interesting record, with 11 traditional songs, an intro, outro, and two minute-long musical interludes. It is a folk album complete with political overtones, such as on “Ode To Victor Jara,” which is a tribute to the Chilean musician and activist. The interludes “Honey Bee” and “Willow” create some nice diversity in the release, as some of the tracks seem to blur together. “Dreams Of Air” and “Piece Me Back Together” are the two most unique tunes; they both feature a mix of male and female vocals, and sound especially Caribbean through the use of acoustic guitars and steel drums. The closer and title-track, “Effra Parade,” contains trumpets, ghostly church-like vocals, and subtly ends the record.
The Melodic definitely live up to their name, as all their songs flow and are pleasant to listen to. However, midway through the compilation, it becomes difficult to differentiate between each cut, as they all are structured in similar ways. The debut is respectable, however, and The Melodic have a very interesting and distinctive sound. On the release, the group played 18 different instruments, blending those found in American folk and Caribbean jazz, to effectively show how folk, Britpop, rock, and Caribbean can be mixed to form a relaxing LP.
In A Word: Soothing
