Having been around on the Oxford scene for what seems like forever – I first stumbled across them at Truck in 2008 – and with several EPs and singles in the bank, Alphabet Backwards have finally put together their first full-length album. To now, most of their songs seem to revolve around general boy-girl lyrical themes, with the interplay between vocalists James and Steph the dominating feature in their sound, and this is certainly no different. But the challenge here could have been to prove whether there’s more to them than that, and whether they have the potential to forge a long and successful career. On the other hand, maybe none of that really matters, maybe it’s all just about having FUN!
Many of the best songs from their earlier releases are included here: ‘Blink of an Eye’, ‘Big Top’ and ‘Plastic’ are all exactly what this band is about – catchy melodies, memorable lines (“her lips, have got all the time, in the world, to be together, and…”; “all I can do, is think about you”) and an uplifting demeanour. What really underpins these songs though is the strong basslines, which sit alongside the acoustic guitars riffs perfectly. ‘Elton John’ is also here – the song, obviously – and is without doubt the most fun track, a wonderful piece of lo-fi disco, completely with dodgy and squiggly electronics and a memorable hook. The prelude, ‘Maisonette’, is a somewhat unexpected jazz number, and it leads into it well.
At times, the sweetness of their songs can be a little overpowering, as with ‘Taller’ and ‘Panda Eyes’, which both feel a little clichéd and weak, even if the bass and synths on each are still impressive. Other songs such as ‘Pockets’ and ‘Ladybird’ are pretty forgettable all round, without necessarily doing anything fundamentally wrong – although maybe that’s more because they’re not really complex enough to suit my tastes.
Whilst on first impression it could be easy to dismiss this as one-dimensional twee nonsense, it isn’t. The stronger songs all have various layers, whether it’s the synth blasts that feature throughout, Josh’s impressive bass playing, the vocal interplay, or the atmospheric strings. The latter is most notable on the opening track, ‘Sunday Best’, where the baroque feel is to me very reminiscent of Cat Matador, and feels like a band straying away from their comfort zone, even if they’re still firmly at home on the rest of the album. Whilst I wouldn’t mind hearing more like it on the album, it isn’t really fair to want them to be something they’re not, especially when otherwise they’re mostly in their element.
Frankly, they’re way too charming the way they are. Their older fans will, I imagine, be delighted to finally have a full album of their work, even if to some ears (including mine) they haven’t quite got the consistency to fully impress over the course of a full-length. What Little Victories does definitely do is sum up exactly who they are – even if the sweet tunes get a little sickly at times, their twee, fun, poptastic sound can’t help but make you smile.