Being happy and in love is supposed to be not that great for creating memorable music or art in general, but Joe Atkinson, the driving force behind English melodic power pop project The Rhynes proofs that it can be done when he wrote the songs for the Feel So Sure album. It is a collection of love songs that basks in the soft glow of on-point harmonies, subtle guitar fills and the gentle purr of an organ. Throw in a locked in rhythm section and presto, a record that updates the sound of late 60s and early 60s when the baroque pop leanings of the Canterbury scene seeped into the charts.
Fans of Badfinger will love it. Filled with melodies that seem familiar are upon closer inspection far more complicated, so musos will something to decipher as the general public can enjoy it as is. The world sure could use a bit of tenderness right now and this album is all about connection between human beings, which is the coolest thing to have in the long run.
