Tom Davis has come a long way from his stint as guitarist in dirt-rockers Dead Fly Buchowski. Since their demise in 2006, Davis has occupied himself with an altogether fluffier act. Rags & Feathers sees Davis joined by Andrea Tomlinson (of cute-folk purveyors the Metro-Gnomes) and their debut release, "The Other Side of Morning", combines gentle harmonies and intelligent song craft with apparent ease. Hard to fathom that these musicians are Glaswegian - they sound too nice. Coming soon to a radio near you!
"Hey Yous", the second single from the album, is thought-provoking and melancholy. The chug of the acoustic guitar is accompanied nicely by the duo's vocals.
An airy vibe flows through the album. In fact I'd suggest this album as a possible hangover cure. For instance, "Things To Do When You're Bored" was meant for summer days with ice cream and Irn Bru but the youthful feel to the song perhaps restricts the suggestion of an alcoholic beverage as accompaniment on moral grounds.
It is a belief of mine that if Rags & Feathers were to forward "Talk Show Host" to the desk of Phil Spector, superstardom would beckon for the duo, and the troubled eccentric producer would be reborn, if only for a moment. "End of Melancholy" is wonderfully free-thinking in sound and lyrics, putting the mind at ease. Just sit back and let the music unhinge the doors of your mind.
From start to finish, this album is almost too sweet for its own good. Nonetheless, it is an impressive first release from two established Glasgow musicians. Let's just hope my Spector prophecies prove fruitful.