Brand new 5-piece band TV Pins are set to release their debut album ‘Aircutter’ on October 25th, a fusion of 70s Americana, classic British new wave, 60’s psychedelia and hook-laden power pop.

TV Pins are:

James Schofield (vocals), 

Duncan O’Neill (guitars)

Miles Nicholas (drums)

Simon Hudson (bass)

Grace Bailey-Hinks (keyboards)

They are an eclectic mix of talented musicians from London and the West Midlands. With a mutual love of nostalgic sounds and playing live, the group have already released their first single, Magpie Eyes, and announced tour dates.

We spoke to the guys in September and there is a feature up on our main page of the interview; I’ll link it here.

Simon Hudson, the bass guitarist and co-writer, founded one of the world’s most lauded tribute bands, The Smyths and for many years has toured internationally and become known for sparkling live performances. He has also written and played with other artists and songwriters across Europe, including James Clarke Five, Charlie Grant and Lopez.

Singer James Schofield joined the band three years ago and brought his own emerging talent as a singer-songwriter. From developing a solo career of regional acclaim in the Midlands area to fronting TV Pins with his powerful voice, James completes the band to deliver multi-vocal harmony rock songs and quality catchy songwriting.

On with the review:

“Oh Yeah” is such a great way to open an album. It’s good to hear an album open up with the drums pounding away. I instantly liked the little vocal harmonies and the Britpop vibe that comes out of the track. The world may be falling apart, but with good new music breaking through, maybe we all have a chance.

“Bye Bye Reseda” was written by drummer and film composer Miles. It has a light poppy feel to it, some bouncy keyboards and a very positive groove. With a bit more courage, Radio 2 would be playing this and it would go down great. Bluntly, if I were working in a workshop or something, then this is exactly the type of thing I would be happy listening to.

“Magpie Eyes” is explained by bassist Simon Hudson as follows: ‘It’s the tale of the envious character that exists who takes and covets all the shine in your life. Subverting the folksy magpie rhymes and set to a breezy backing of Smith-sy guitars and Teenage Fanclub harmonies, it’s all about shades on, pedal to metal and tune in. There’s a magpie on every corner.’ I did really like this one; it has a really catchy tune, those great harmonies and some uplifting instrumentalisation. Very good, well done guys!

“Roundabout” brings a bit of George Harrison-style guitar and some west coast rhythm to a song about the daily grind. The band are clearly in their groove here, and the keyboards suddenly came and grabbed my attention as well. The layered vocals work well too.

“Cool White Jug” has an interesting title. It moved me toward a sixties feel, some smooth rhythms and a story in the lyrics. It’s an interesting track; it has light and shade; it didn’t entirely hit the spot for me, but decent nonetheless.

“Shining Light” strips things down to a simple acoustic feel and the vocals up in the mix so that it feels the singer is there with me. It’s different, dreamy and effective. The organ (I think) mid-track adds to the feel and I liked the song a lot. It has a folk feel; I gave it a second play at the end of the review, which is always a good sign.

“Wishing Pool” has some throbbing bass and has some funk infused in those notes. It has a bit of a punch in it, throbbing guitars and a “la, la, la,” chorus that fits the piece nicely. You also get some instrumental breaks within the piece that head off into interesting areas; it is a song that works well.

“Every Single Time” brings in the Crowded House influence. It is a slower track, one that plays with those harmonies the band does well; you get a strong sense of the whole band pulling together.

“Daisy Saturday Night” is one of the tracks released already as a single. It’s a poppy commercial number. It’s another track that will surely be getting radio play as the song hooks work really well and it has a nice dance feel. The track takes us to the Summer as we approach winter.

“Last Rites” is explained by drummer Miles Nicholas as “a track in which ‘a rich old man lies on his deathbed and looks back on a wasted life as hangers on and family desperately try to ingratiate themselves into the will.” It is one of those tracks where a really dark lyric lies underneath a lighter poppy melody.

“Aircutter” is the title track. The band explains that they were aiming to capture a massive 80s sound, effortlessly achieved with its orchestral synths and striking guitar solos. It does have a bigger sound, and I think it is one that would go down well at a summer festival. I’ll give a nod toward the drums and keyboards in this one, both of which kill.

“Tonight” ends on a simple note. Personally, I would have switched the final track to “Aircutter,” but that’s just me! ‘Tonight’ is described by lead guitarist Duncan O’Neill as a song for ‘when you’ve given everything and fallen far short of the mark.’ It’s one of those tracks with an emotion we all connect to now and then!

Standout tracks: “Magpie Eyes,” “Shining Light,” and “Oh Yeah.”

If I had to pick just one, then it would be a fight between “Magpie Eyes” and “Shining Light.”

In summary, this is a very fine debut from a seriously talented group of musicians. The vocal harmonies and overall standard of both songwriting and musicianship is clear. I really hope they gain some traction with the radio stations, as some of these tracks are just oozing commercial appeal. There is a lot to really like here and I think it’s a fine debut.

 And I’ll end my review here. As a finishing point, to keep us improving the magazine, we really do need your support, and if you can go to the “support us” button and buy us a coffee or follow us, it helps us feel appreciated and keep improving the magazine.

You can stream music from TV Pins here

By Anna-Louise Burgess