Sky Larkin - 'The Golden Spike' (Wichita) Released 09/02/09

Having released their first single in January 2007, Sky Larkin have finally come to fruition with the release of their full length debut album ‘The Golden Spike’ just over two years since they first emerged. Signed to Wichita (Home to, amongst others, Los Campesinos and Lovvers) ‘The Golden Spike’ follows the aforementioned lo-fi alt.pop styling’s with thirteen slices of angst ridden lullabies with a snarling soundtrack.

Lead singer Katie Harkin’s sweet vocals drive the majority of ‘The Golden Spike, honeyed throughout but jagged and emotive in all the right places. Being a female fronted three piece of a particular sonic ilk there are a few bands that come to the listeners mind- Sleater Kinney being one and a less prickly Blood Red Shoes being the other. The former is particularly prevalent as ‘The Golden Spike’ was produced in Seattle with S-K and Death Cab producer John Goodmanson.

Seattle is very much Sky Larkin and their debut albums spiritual home, K Records and plaid shirts are brought to mind with every twist and turn, this is an album that sounds noticeably un-British and is all the better for it. The thirteen songs on display here have a distinctive pop aesthetic with big choruses (‘Fossil Eye’, ‘Beeline’, ‘Somersault’) and huge driving guitars and drum beats (‘Molten’ and ‘Octopus’) with songs often amalgamating themselves to each other to create one prolonged musical outlay from which choruses and hooks emerge triumphantly. The songs are finely crafted and all hold potential value as singles- no one track is more representative of the LP than another, showing Sky Larkin are a band who know what they want and have successfully developed their musical skills and emerge as a well honed unit.

‘The Golden Spike’ forms part of a vibrant and thriving British underground scene alongside the likes of Johnny Foreigner, Los Campesinos! and Dananananaykroyd and is a fine addition to these bands increasing output. It may come apart under the interrogative light regarding obvious influences but if it’s a dazzling and pleasurable rock-record you're after then Sky Larkin are a great place to start.

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