A few weeks ago I was raving about the return of The Orchids, and here I am raving about the new single from The Chesterfields. What decade is it anyway? It doesn't matter because good music is good music, and this is a great single.
"Our Songbird Has Gone", a sort of indie anthem, seems to honor late band member Dave Goldsworthy, though the cut works fabulously even if you are unaware of the tragic death of the Chesterfields singer in 2003. The players here in 2022 are Simon Barber on bass and vocals, Rob Parry on drums, Helen Stickland on guitar and vocals, and Andy Strickland (of The Loft and The Caretaker Race) on guitar and vocals. And the sound is a robust, warm take on the kind of peppy indie this lot perfected and pursued in earlier decades. And any song that names this many cool bands (and makes a refrain out of "The Go-Betweens!") is a winner in my book. Elegant, smart, and touching, this is a real contender for one of the singles of the year for me, that's how much I like this.
The video, by James Harvey, is a charmer too. Enjoy this now while you wait for New Modern Homes, the new album from The Chesterfields. That will be out soon, and I'm sure it's going to be worth the wait. Who would have thought that the two most anticipated records of the second half of 2022 would turn out to be new records from The Orchids and The Chesterfields? Times change, tastes evolve, but great tunes remain great tunes.
More details about The Chesterfields via the band's Facebook page.
[Photo: The Chesterfields Facebook page]