Love, Burns is the work of one Phil Sutton, a musician with an impressive CV that includes stints with
Comet Gain and
Velocette, leading the groups Kicker, Soft City, and the Pale Lights, and now this project. As with most of the bands he's been a part of,
Love, Burns falls squarely under the heading of sophisticated indie pop. The melodies on this debut album are crafted carefully, the words chosen with the precision of an author, and exactly the right amount of energetic jangle is provided.
It Should Have Been Tomorrow does show Sutton stretch a little bit, adding some political bite to the lyrics and tipping the folk side of the folk-rock balance on more than one occasion. It's a sprightly record recorded with restraint by
Gary Olson and played by a crack band that includes
Kyle Forester. The presence of these two former members of
Ladybug Transistor should give people some kind of idea where Sutton's allegiances lie; his love of crooners like
Lloyd Cole and
Edwyn Collins helps too. Much of the album feels like a snazzily dressed wordsmith fronting one of the more accomplished Sarah Records bands --
the Orchids to name one -- and having a swell time doing so. Opening track "Dear Clare" starts things off in fine style, pitting chiming guitars and Sutton's warbling vocals against piping organ and some seriously propulsive drums, with a result that conjures up warm memories of a classic
Aislers Set track. A few other songs follow a similar template -- the biting "Wired Eyes" is particularly hooky -- but much of the album takes a quieter, more contemplative tack. "It's a Shame" is a nicely haunted midtempo ballad with some enjoyable surf guitar, "Oh My Beloved" is an emotional waltz that's crying out for orchestral backing, and "Drive Down to D.C." lilts like a
Rattlesnakes outtake while Sutton gives his most affecting vocal performance. These tracks show some commendable growth as a singer and writer and, when paired with the uptempo tracks, make his debut under the name
Love, Burns a fine addition to his long list of musical accomplishments. ~ Tim Sendra