The Payroll Union
Album: Paris Of America
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 9
Website: http://www.thepayrollunion.com

The Payroll Union are a new name on me, so the CD was inserted into the player with a certain trepidation yet excitement.

If you're like me, discovering new music that you love is a great feeling, yet that elation soon turns to annoyance and frustration, wondering just how long it has been that you have been denied that delicious new music for.

And so it was with The Payroll Union.....

At turns, "Paris Of America" reminded me of a few late 80's /early 90's bands that I loved so dearly - bands like Hipsway and Gene - yet all the while, the album is punctuated by a sound not dissimilar to The Divine Comedy, possibly in the main, due to the distinctive, powerful lead vocals provided by Pete David.

The enigma of the roles within the band only adds to their mystique. Alongside Pete, you have Tom Baxendale on guitar, Paul Heath on bass and Ben Fuller on drums (I think).

As if to support this cloak and dagger and for those of you that like to pigeon-hole a band's sound - and this was very difficult with TPU - how about dark Americana?

Stand-out tracks on the 8 (+1 hidden) song album are White Slave Of The North, The Mission Field and Will You Still Remember Me? The CD packaging is a body of work in itself, as well as being informative with fantastic artwork by Dan Potter and fellow American history geeks will surely devour the facts dispersed and referenced throughout the lyrics.

This is the bands fifth release and their seemingly obsessional interest in 18th century American history continues unabated. As a source material for inspiration to write great songs, it's clearly a healthy obsession.

The sign of a good album is one that finishes before you have had your fill and this definitely falls into this category. I'm glad I am still discovering new music, especially when it's as good as this.

If you have heard of The Payroll Union, you won't need me to tell you how good they are.

If you haven't heard them before, then you'll be glad when you do. And do it sooner, rather than later, to avoid the aforementioned annoyance and frustration.

Chris Giles