Sounds Made By Humans

Around the time that the Catenary Wires Amelia Fletcher and Rob Pursey were reuniting the beloved 90s indie pop outfit Heavenly to play a show in London in 2023 (that would be followed by touring), they learned that U.K. poet and writer Brian Bilston had worn a Heavenly T-shirt at one of his events. The musicians were fans of Bilston, who had risen to fame on Twitter with pithy poems that were often both funny and insightful, commenting on human behavior, politics, and the state of the world in general. The three of them were soon introduced, became friends, and set about collaborating on an album. Pursey selected 13 of Bilstons poems for a set of new songs that successfully merge the two art forms while keeping the tone playful. Performed by Bilston, Pursey, Fletcher, Fay Hallam (keyboards), and Ian Button (drums), Sounds Made by Humans finds the Catenary Wires favoring the more electric, sometimes psychedelic sound of 60s beat music over the pastoral and bittersweet, but they branch out into other styles here, too. Its a vibe that, like an episode of The Monkees, seems perfectly aligned with Bilstons good-natured, mischievous spirit. The album begins with the trippy "Alexa, What Is There to Know About Love?," a reading preceded by and then backed by a swirly psychedelic rock with melodic, reverb-drenched vocals by Fletcher. The poem goes on to highlight increasingly frustrated existential questions and terrible responses by the virtual assistant -- at least until he asks, "Alexa, what does it mean to be alone?" That track is followed by the interminable "The Interview," with its mod-like riffs, then the more melodic, wistful "Every Song on the Radio Reminds Me of You." The latter opens with Fletcher and Pursey singing lines from the poem that fold in classic song lyrics, before Bilston enters with a more rapid patter (including the memorable description "You and your beautiful, big, bright, sexy, gypsy, cotton-green, brown, ocean-, baby-blue Bette Davis eyes"). Other music-themed tracks include "Compilation Cassette." Elsewhere, "Out in the Rain" adopts a spooky jangle pop, and those of a certain age may take extra delight in "31 Rules for Midlife Rebellion," the grungy "As I Grow Old I Will March Not Shuffle," and "Thou Shalt Not Commit Adulting," in which Fletcher sings an anthem for all ages: "I guess its time for me to own up/I dont want to be a grown-up." While Sounds Made by Humans may, on paper, sound like a lark or minor release, the music is a treat, the poems are great, and the irregular interplay of hooks, melodies, and readings keeps it all living and breathing and unpredictable throughout. Plus, its uncommonly fun. ~ Marcy Donelson