Album Review

Team Waterpolo – So Called Summer

• 24th Nov 2008

Moshi Moshi seems to have become a pop churning machine of recent years, seeing numerous bands rise through the label and ravishing our ears with infectious hooks and licks. Many have gone on to bigger labels and made more infectious hooks and licks, but Moshi Moshi has certainly established itself as one of the most productive and respected independent labels in the country.

Team Waterpolo’s ‘So called summer’ certainly ticks all the boxes. It’s youthful, anthemic, laden in synthesisers, xylophone, hand claps and harmonies. However, perhaps that’s where the problem lies, it feels like they are intentionally ticking boxes. It starts with a sense of urgency and almost a feeling of dread, yet it just erupts into another big pop song. It just feels like it was written to please. It’s Los Campesinos! All over, and perhaps they are treading on thin ice with some of the hooks they have borrowed from this single. The song breaks down and then bursts back into the chorus for an all out, gung-ho ending; all shouts, claps, woos and yeahs. It fit’s the very popular mould of all things twee, sweet and naive at the moment. It will be immensely popular at indie discos I am sure, but I have no doubts that that’s what the song was written for in the first place.