Party It's The Small Things That Keep You Awake

I'm not quite sure how to describe this release... six tracks normally makes for a mini-album, but at just over 15 minutes, it has more the feel of an EP. Oh well.

The Party is the nom de plume of James Scott, who I'm reliably informed has done all the work to bring this release to me. Money may well be short because the sleeve notes tell us that he's used "busted bass, cheap sampler and broken drum machine" to knock it all together, but despite it all he's made a fairly promising batch of songs.

His singing style could be described as Jarvis Cocker on downers, and song titles such as Your Beautiful Wife and Pious Ex-Smoker do sound like they come from the Pulp canon. The former provides the best moment here, a sordid tale of wanting to shag your mate's other half and the resultant guilt.

It's good allright, let down in places by the cheap and cheerful nature of the production, and you wonder if perhaps the Party was more then one man's mission, the interesting ideas that crop up could be expanded on into something greater.

Whether or not Scott is going to carry on the up from this isn't certain - he's certainly got an ear for a sweet melody as seen on the melancholic I Wish I'd Said That At The Time - but, on a personal note, I look forward to hearing more.