Carousels-Love Changes Like the Season (Northern Star Records)

Carousels are a fine Scottish band that mine country-tinged jangle pop better than most. My first thought upon hearing this new album was how much they reminded me of Gram Parsons era Byrds, but this sound is both more expansive and completely modern. Try to imagine a many colored quilt patched with The La’s, and maybe even Paisley Underground faves, The Long Ryders. These bands have all channeled the best of paisley-tinged jangle pop, and mashed it with widescreen Western music. I say that, because one listen to “My Beating Heart” makes me think of West Coast bands. These guys sing without an accent, and their timeless music could place them back decades if not for the clean and somewhat cinematic production. The album is brief and passes swiftly through you like a warm breeze (“Don’t Get Me Wrong”, for example). “Marianne” has a bit of Everly Brothers in the vocals, and “Drifting Back” reminds me a lot of The Church at the very beginning. But most of all, I hear the Byrds in these sprightly vocals and chiming guitars, a band whose influence is still quite evident in today’s music. In summary, an enjoyable listen from a talented group of musicians.