The Legendary Pink Dots — Your children Placate You From Premature Graves

The Legendary pink dots new album is a glorious cocktail of pretty piano flourishers, folksy guitars, dub beats, jazzy intrusions, nods towards British guitar/ synthesizer pop and lots more besides. Making an album, that is full of both memorable and experimental challenging songs. It also mixes in poignant; often strangle funny, clever and thought provoking, lyrically content.

The thing that’s most striking is the way they seem to mix genre's in such an effortless and natural way. As folk drifts into late night jazziness, or trombone bounce led by strummed guitars slips into a Spanish guitars serenade, with castanet chatter. For a band that have been around for 25 years ,there sound is still so  sprightly and fresh. It ‘s always keeping you off balance, not quite sure where it  will lead you next.

The theme's of the album seems to touch down in childhood imagery like the eerier into and outtro tracks, which utilise music box piano and children’s voices.  It also touches down in everyday fear, and what our actions reflect on our past and future. The clever thing is the way they managed to balance, off beat humour with serious often chilling lyrical content.

Yet again another highlight, in a year that seems crammed with great albums. With out doubt of interest to those who like their musical genre’s mixed and shaken up, and  it’s all delivered, with such wonderful grace and  a sense of real quality song writing through out.