Sky Larkin may have formed in England mid-decade, but youNd be forgiven for thinking The Golden Spike was an artifact of N90s American indie rock. The Leeds trioNs rocketing debut album is rife with angular hooks, math-y tautness, shouted vocals and odd imagery, making for a brisk revisiting of genre tricks that havenNt had a workout in quite some time.
Opener “Fossil, I” introduces us to Katie HarkinNs weighty-yet-melodic vocals and alternately bristling and bludgeoning guitar work. ItNs also our first taste of how Harkin creates memorable moments from unwieldy lyrics; the title refrain shouldnNt work, but itNs lodged in our brains before the song is even finished.
The same goes for “Antibodies,” which manages to be the albumNs most agile track despite the knottiness of its unlikely chorus: “Sentiment stretched over sediment and soil.” And amid the lugubrious jangle of “Beeline,” Harkin injects urgency into the mundane phrase “INve got a lead that INm following up.” Her habit of marrying angst and abstraction can lead to some iffy lyrics (“I am sure/You could grow into a matador”), but these songs are crunchy and charismatic enough to justify most of the lyrical choices.
Filled out by bassist Doug Adams and drummer Nestor Matthews, Sky Larkin are a bit of an anomaly for the über-hip U.K. label Wichita, which has begun branching into Stateside releases. The band arenNt overtly marketable and often feel like a throwback, but at the same time, theirs is a muscular, surprise-packed album. Produced with considerable depth by indie-rock vet John Goodmanson, The Golden Spike should appeal to fans of Rainer Maria and early Delgados records, as well as folks whoNve never heard of either.
