Scotland Yard Gospel Choir Releases Another Album of Non-Scottish, Non-Gospel Music

By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 23, 2007 8:41PM

Scotland Yard Gospel Choir releases their self-titled sophomore full-length on Bloodshot Records today. It's always nice to see a local label with some real clout helping out a local band, and we're predicting that this is a team-up that will prove beneficial to both parties involved. Scotland Yard Gospel Choir's sound is more Belle And Sebastian, and less Old 97's, so it marks a sonic departure of sorts for the label. That isn't to say that Bloodshot hasn't released excellent albums outside of the "insurgent country" they're best known for. We're just always happy to see a label working outside its own comfort zone.

Scotland Yard Gospel Choir is led by Elia Einhorn, and it's really now completely his baby since co-leader Matthew Kerstein left a while ago (amicably) to begin Brighton, MA. We enjoyed Scotland Yard Gospel Choir's debut full-length, but thought that it didn't really hold up under repeated listens. Luckily whenever we needed a dab of rejuvantive tonic allowing us to re-experience the orch-pop collective's recorded work with joy, all we had to do was trek on out to a live performance. On-stage the band is a multi-limbed beast that amps up the energy without distorting the crystalline melodies. Fans of delicate indie-pop should be flocking to join the ensemble's already fervid following since this new disc delivers impassioned messaging over impeccable arrangements.

The new album captures that live sound more faithfully, and benefits from a more single-minded approach to the songs. No longer do certain tunes sound as if they lost a bit of their punch while being vetted by a committee. Instead Einhorn's vision shines through unobstructed, and we believe the band as a whole is better of for it.

Scotland Yard Gospel Choir celebrates the release of their new album with a show at The Empty Bottle Friday, October 26, at 10:00 p.m. Tickets are still available.