Eyes in The Canopy – Winchester Revival (Carpal Tunnel Music) reviewed by Dave Franklin

I always associate certain post-punk and shoegaze sounds with a time and a place, based on my own history. The time is probably somewhere between the mid eighties and the early nineties and I’m more than likely in the south of England, Bristol, Oxford maybe even London. I guess we all do it. It comes as a wonderful reminder then, of how small the world is these days and just how musical styles get re-absorbed, re-interpreted and re-presented, to find a band such as Winchester Revival making such wonderful music half a world away and half a lifetime later.

This 4 track EP wanders through shimmering guitar haze and richly textured melodic warmth, casually meandering between slightly off kilter riffs and pop sensibilities. The sun drenched ethereality of Chemical Yellow and the chilled ambience of Matterhorn slips seamlessly into the more urgent drive of Wonderland before the trippy lucid dreamtime of Submarine Bell delivers the records glorious swansong.

Not only a great record built from wonderful melodies and swathed in a lush sonic haze, but a record that after even a minute in had me feeling half my age. Music –  cheaper and probably more reliable than a time machine.