In which Mike Lindsay and Sam Genders, the founding figures of Tunng, lock horns once again. This is good news, because Tunng’s off centre pop music has always been notable for its charm and hints of a darker side, shot through with inventive lyrics and a knack for unearthing a good tune. Throws is the album they have been able to make with a complete lack of pressure, the ideas flowing readily in Lindsay’s Reykjavik studio. The lyrics are nicely offbeat – ‘Punch Drunk Sober’ a great example with its tales of leopard skin, shot through with a weird choral interlude – but there is a pop sensibility that remains through the album, combining structural rigour with a tendency to go off at a very enjoyable tangent. ‘The Harbour’ is vividly descriptive, panning out to a wide scale, while ‘Sun Gun’ pairs the softer vocals of Genders with a drone bassline and rich string lines. An endearing album for those who like a bit of winsome pop music that takes a risk or two.
4 out of 5
Reviewed by: Ben Hogwood