Fronted by Terry Banks, and accompanied by Swervedriver alum Danny Ingram among others, the quartet's moniker is a somewhat misleading calling card, as this quartet don't conjure up anything Colin Newman and Co. had brewing at any stage of Wire's prolific career. And while there's still a sizable nod to across-the-pond indie small-of-famers of yore, Winter Garden... zeroes in on our mates sipping from the same domestic watering hole as Velocity Girl, Springhouse and For Against. The proceedings kick off with a warm, resplendent bang by way of "Faraway" and "Countdown," which find D/D at their most melodically assertive ever. This refreshingly buoyant stride spills over into "Shouting in the Rain" and the doubly spectacular "Writing on the Wall." Hot on that song's heels, "La-La Land" sparks yet another visceral charge. Even comparatively sobering comedowns "Lateral/Vertical" and "Two Octobers," bear something resembling a silver lining. Toss in a dollop of contemplative prose all the way around into this Wintery mix, and you've shaken and stirred a cocktail with brains and charm to burn. Don't take my word for it, check out "Writing on the Wall" below. Winter Garden Light is available from The Beautiful Music, CD Baby, iTunes, and Emusic.
https://rapidshare.com/files/1896825013/Dot Dash 04-Writing on the Wall.mp3