About this item

The inside cover of this CD reveals a post-apocalyptic Trafalgar Square complete with burning buses, a can-opened National Gallery and Nelson’s Column snaking off in collapsed sections towards The Strand. For such a seemingly gentlemanly acoustic album this might appear incongruous - the first song sounds like it was recorded at a cocktail party at the Savoy sometime in the 1930s - but closer inspection of Matthew Neel’s world reveals a catalogue of current psychological ills, from the inevitable environmental to more straightforward existential woes. "Well Anyway" sums up the landscape - 'We are the beaten generation, black-and-blue and godforsaken. But don’t start thinking that we’re easy prey cos we’ll never give an inch and we’ll dig our teeth in', while "First World Blues" resonates with a deep sense of the impending (producers of Panorama looking for a title for their next climate-change special take note). Elsewhere, "Hey Citizen" finds our hero back at the Savoy for a light supper whilst all around genuine pop moments are surfing away happily on top of the angst. often this is due to the deft guitar playing of cohort Luke Brighty - particularly "Emily" with it’s lilting beat and pay-off line 'well I want you for your mind although you’ve got a great behind'. Likewise "Wise Up", complete with Nick Cave cowboy-choir backing vocals and "We Will Be Dreaming"'s instantly familiar 'smiles on our faces' refrain. "New Maps Of Hell" is an accomplished debut, a roadmap for our times and an album that soothes as much as it pricks. like emily, it’s got the lot..