Emily's Albums A to Z

Listened: Wednesday November 16

When I first heard Underachievers Please Try Harder I wasn’t sure I liked it as much as My Maudlin Career; at first it seemed much more low-key and mellow, almost boring.

However, I’ve come around. It’s amazing how much the female vocals sound like Isobel Campbell here. If you told me it was her, I’d believe you. The male/female duets with guest John Henderson are also wonderful ( I love a good male/female duet).

The influences are spilling out all over too – naturally, the aforementioned Belle & Sebastian reminders are constant. Let Me Go Home is kind of a Scottish male Supremes song – it reminds me a lot of the song Baby Love. The vocal style of A Sisters Social Agony sounds like a full-on Leonard Cohen homage.

The album cover is also very engaging, though almost too overstuffed with hipsterism – twee looking hot chicks, a vintage camera, well-worn teddy bear with glasses, 60s layout stylings – my hipster detector smoked and exploded the moment I saw it. However, I must admit – I love it.