The Beaumonts
"Letting Go of the Dial"
Self-released
Hey, who remembers Haircut 100? Who remembers 5Head? I open with these questions because those are two bands The Beaumonts remind me of on its brand new CD, "Letting Go of the Dial." Haircut 100 was pure brit pop confection. 5Head — as I'm sure you are all aware — liberally shares members and sidemen with The Beaumonts as if they were singles at a wife-swapping party. The horn section helps solidify the similarities.
However, the comparisons stop there. The Beaumonts aren't as nuts as 5Head, and the guitar takes a front seat (and I f***ing love it) with a casual and lovely lush and lope. There's an instant classic feel to the music without calling yesterday into play. There's a gentleness that doesn't interfere with the good time at hand. The band is tight, tight, tight beneath the melodic vocal swirl. So the new question is who remembers The Beaumonts? I mean who could possibly forget them? Who would ever want to?