Pugwash : Giddy :: Review

Pugwash is Irish songwriter Thomas Walsh’s nom de plume for his rotating cast of fellow band mates who specialize in crafting quirky songs influenced by both the Beatles and The Beach Boys.  ‘Giddy’ is a compilation of eleven tracks taken from Pugwash’s first four albums along with two new tracks and serves as an introduction to a talent that has not received much press in the US.  ‘Giddy’ is also the first release on Andy Partridge’s (XTC) Ape House record label and goes to show why this band signed with them in the first place.

Pugwash crafts some of the finer power pop that would make Jeff Lynne blush.  It’s apparent that ELO has played some influence on Walsh’s tunes as the harpsichord and strings on “Cluster Bomb” call to mind “Mr. Blue Sky” or at least a semi-sequel of sorts.  Overwhelmingly upbeat, this is an album that is hard to dislike, as the craftsmanship is evident in the tunesmithery.  Each song on the album displays the serious chops of the musicians involved as they veer from singer songwriter fluff, “Apples” to the surreal of “Monorail” and finally to the epic fuzzed out guitar sounds of “Two Wrongs.”  Matthew Sweet should take note.

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