Manchester's The Tides like to refer to themselves on their
myspace page as 'epic' 'windswept' and all manner of clichés that
really should read 'unimaginative'. They've even got Madchester
luminaries like Tony Wilson and Mani to spout banal platitudes to them
like "top choonage" and "mad ferrit geezer" (only one of those is made
up) probably after being cornered in a pub toilet in Salford.
The truth is, despite what a member of Primal Scream says, The
Tides aren't very good. Single You'll Never Change is a hackneyed as
the title implies, a couple of 'shimmering' and 'majestic' (sorry,
they've got me doing it now) guitars overlaid with risible lyrics
like "Be free and open./'Cause I know you want to/So wear your heart
out on your sleeve." It's the kind of workmanlike, insipid rubbish
that we thought had died out with Cast.
The one thing the band do have
going for them is Liam Pennington's voice, a high-pitched squall that
really could be something special when attuned to a decent track.
However, Delays have already cornered the market in magisterial
falsetto-pop, and it will take a superhuman effort from these
well-meaning, but ultimately unsuccessful boys turn the tide in their
favour.
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