CD review: Allo Darlin' - "Europe"

Despite its title and cover, this second effort by London’s Allo Darlin’ is not, as could reasonably be expected, a concept album about the Old Continent, like JJ Burnel’s Euroman Cometh or Kraftwerk’s Trans-Europe Express.

Instead, it showcases the deeply emotive vocals and heartfelt lyrics of Australian-born Elizabeth Morris, as well as guitarist Paul Rains’s ability to replicate trademark indie sounds pioneered 25 years ago by Glasgow ‘twee pop’ heroes The Pastels. Opener Neil Armstrong and first single Capricornia, while (perhaps inevitably) unoriginal, constitute welcome highlights on an album which, just maybe, belongs to a bygone era. Night-night, darlin’.

(Munich Records / V2)

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