Short and Curlies - At The Dance

Short & Curlies? One of the first things that sprang to mind when I heard the name was long forgotten dance duo Phats and Small (it's just the way my mind works sometimes), and I imagined the album being a Welsh tribute to their sound and many hits (Turn Around and, err, probably some others). Fortunately this wasn't the case - maybe for the next album eh? - and it turns out not to be a duo but a band featuring Euros Childs along with other such luminaries as Laura J Martin, R. Seiliog, Stephen Black, Megan Childs and Huw Evans.

 

Chart smashing hits aren't high on the band's agenda as, to quote Euros, "the album is completely instrumental, doesn't have verses and choruses and can't really be classified as pop music. So if you like your music with choruses, words and singing this might not be the album for you".

A monophonic recording, side one is definately the side that is "at the dance" or, as appears to be the case, is at least within earshot of a dance. Two minutes of abstract sounds give way to four different takes on the sort of music your grandparents used to dance to - to these ears they're almost Gorkys-esque instrumentals from the 1940s. Side two is an entirely different kettle of fish and the comedown from the almost party you've just had - heavy on Euros' keyboards and summertime drones with the "serene" trilogy taking you a faraway place, it's borders on being unnerving and quite lovely.

Some of the delightful song titles...

It's a vinyl only release (or you can download a version from Euros' website) but the first 120 copies include a promo CD version of the album. Oh, and mine also had a lovely personalized message from Euros.