I think I’d seen The Railway Children mentioned somewhere on the internet like reddit a while back, but decided to check to them out after this album popped up under my suggestions on Apple Music while I was listening to The Lucy Show’s album, Mania (1986). The Railway Children is/was a sort of new wave alternative group, and still plays together from time to time nowadays, though the last time it seems they released any new music was 2002. This particular album by The Railway Children topped the independent albums chart in the UK according to wikipedia. I can’t really find a whole lot of other material on the band at a quick glance, so I’m going to go ahead and jump on into the music.
“Another Town” has a super 80s feel with that drum beat at the intro, almost reminding me of Phil Collins in the tone. I really dig how jangly the guitar and drums seem to be in this one. The bass has a really nice rubbery feel to it that really stretches out the soundscape at times and returns to form very easily. I’m really digging the overall vibe of this song, it’s definitely got an easy-going feel that still returns a really high energy throughout.
“First Notebook” has a really bright feel to the composition. I’m really digging that bass tone – it’s almost like Mike Watt in terms of the timbre and tone of the playing. The song even retains the punk rock energy of groups like the Dead Kennedys or Minutemen, but that energy is redirected from pure chaos to something much more polished and melodic in general. There’s definitely an almost dream pop feel to it, and kind of reminds me a little bit of The Church. The drums are relatively simple in what’s being played, but I really dig how tight they are and the tone in general. The strumming of the guitars also creates a really nice, subtle percussive effect that really progresses the song forward.
“Railroad Side” has some super cool drums for the intro, and are begging for the song to be pushed forward at a greater speed or even just a little less relaxed. It’s almost a slowcore type of song, but I don’t necessarily think it’s quite there. I do rather enjoy how intricate the layers of the song get as the song progresses deeper into the tune. The guitars are definitely close to being shoegazing in style. Definitely a great little tune.
Oh wow, “Careful” starts out with vocals right away and the guitars and bass drop into a slow swirling jam/riff that gets the instruments going back and forth in a certain sense. Oh wow, this little breakdown in the song sounds pure 80s to me. I really dig the relaxed feeling with that high energy – it’s sounds very self-assured while not relinquishing any momentum at any point. The drums/percussion are sweet in this one, in my opinion. I do enjoy the vocal style a good deal too, very simple and pleasing to the ear.
“Brighter” has a very interesting syncopated xylophone intro, which is soon joined by some bass and high hats, with an acoustic guitar jumping in now and then. The bass guitar tone is super sweet to listen to. This is honestly some excellent dream pop, and I can see how they’re considered a new wave group as well. There’s definitely a lot of punk sensibilities mixed with some sort of psychedelic core that really gets a groove going. Oh wow, that little guitar solo was absolutely sweet. Oh wow, honestly this song sounds a lot like something Coldplay would go on to make in the next decade. Great song.
“Big Hands of Freedom” has a really neat intro that fades into things, and definitely has a large weight behind both the instrumentation and the vocals. This song definitely has a seriousness mixed with the relaxed feel prevalent throughout the album. I really dig the chorus in this one – there’s a vast depth to the feeling coming through this song. I really dig how they keep that dream pop sensation continue on in this one with the synth keyboards. There’s an almost slowcore sensation to this as well. I’m really digging the arrangement of this piece as a whole, and the fadeout for the outro is super smooth. Great little tune.
“Listen On” starts out with some super high energy, swirling, milky guitar notes that sort of lay down some tracks that the bass guitar seems to pick up and continue while the electric guitar fills the background with some fuzzy tone. This song definitely starts touching a bit more of the shoegazing sound than other songs. Wow, the final note is so tasty.
“Gentle Sound” has a really nice, acoustic intro that sort of lays out what the melody will be. Then things pick up big time, and the strumming of the acoustic becomes almost chaotic, while the bass underlines the chords strummed by the acoustic guitar. I really dig how there’s an electric guitar gently jangling away in the background of the soundscape and comes to the front when seemingly called forward by the lyrics. The percussion is really sweet as things are moving so quick that things never really stop rolling forward. The vocals almost have a 90s rock sensibility to them, and definitely have a cool vibe.
“History Burns” has some create acoustic guitar laying out the basic melody. When the bass guitar and the electric guitar come in you get an almost funk-like groove going on in the song – almost like if Vulfpeck played in the 80s. I’m really digging this song as a whole, and think this one provides even greater range in sound from the band than already displayed. Wow, definitely a great little tune.
“Content” has an almost melancholy to it, and definitely makes me think of Oasis in the general swing of the song. Oh wow, the electric guitar has a lot less reverberation I think, and really adds a whole lot of weight to the track by doing less work in this particular one. The drums and vocals remind me a lot of Brothertiger, which is pretty cool in my opinion given the vast difference between The Railway Children’s and Brothertiger’s typical genre. Wow, the electric guitar softly dances around the soundscape as the acoustic guitar keeps things rotating around, the bass pulls the soundscape in a particular direction, and the drums punctuate each measure. Great little tune.
“Darkness & Colour” has a pretty neat feel to it with only the vocals and the acoustic guitar for the introduction, and some scant high hats here and there. From the background, the bass just sort of walks around the melody that the acoustic guitar is playing. Wow, there’s definitely a great conclusory feeling in this song that really wraps up the album quite nicely. That little outro is pretty sweet, and is a really nice and deliberate way to end the album.
This album was definitely an enjoyable 40 minutes for me. I’ve been trying to listen to more music from the 1980s, as it seems to be the primary decade of music that I haven’t checked out all that much. I do enjoy dream pop and shoegazing a lot, both of which are products from the 80s. New wave seems to be somewhat wide in meaning, though recognizable when you hear it in an album like this. If you are looking for an album from the 80s or are looking to get into a genre like new wave, you might want to consider checking this one out. Regardless, if you do decide to give this one a listen, I do sincerely hope that you enjoy the listening experience at least as much as I did.
-A