From What’s On magazine, August 2009

Album of the Month - Will Dance For Chocolate.

“There are a few delightful twists to Worcester’s own WDFC debut album. Amongst the highlights are “I Don’t Wanna” which is energetic bliss. “Valentine’s Day on Ellis Island” show great song writing and “Cracking Swinging” is a first-class surprise to end the album.

 

With a name like Will Dance For Chocolate you could be forgiven for not taking the first album too seriously. It is, however, seriously good.”

“I do like their blend of Blondie-ish powerchords and Neil Young-type melodies with lyrics that poke a bit of wry fun - mostly at the expense of blokes.."

-Andy O Hare, BBC Hereford & Worcester

What can you say about WDFC? They possess some of the sassiest lyrics around and the band play some of the tightest music going. In a sense it was a shame that technical problems hampered this gig, but still it wins my award for Gig of the Weekend on the basis that they battled through with talent and charisma to spare. Fair play, and I look forward to seeing them play again soon.

 

I don’t often review (or actively sleuth) any Indie bands these days, but when something this good comes along, and I just can’t stop playing the bastard, I think you all deserve to know about it, particularly as the band have this fiendish strategy of not telling anyone how they can obtain it. Currently it’s only available at gigs, which is fine if you live in Evesham or surrounding areas, but hopeless for anyone else. I suggest you message them on myspace and work it out between you.

 

Onwards then people, as we have a review of this lovely little thing, but I should point out it’ll be of special interest to any fans of The Dancing Did.

 

Yes, Chris Houghton drums for them, here in the guise of Chris Insultia, which is how I first found out about them, back in the days when you could still download the occasional track off myspace. He may not be with them for much longer as he’s so busy, also being in Doctor’s Orders and Big Cats, so they’ve been looking for a new recruit, but he’s on this, and the ‘Disco Tuckshop’ EP you can download at CD Baby. (You’d think he’d never heard of the concept of pipe and slippers, although maybe he employs those onstage?)

 

‘I Don’t Wanna’ is a sparky opener, the singer admitting she doesn’t want to kiss a boy’s face, because while he’s a pretty little baby she’s in love with a man, and this simmering resentful stance is there on a few tracks, usually with the protagonist pulled up short by an emotional brick wall. ‘Get your dirty little fingers…Away…From…Me.’ It’s a disappointment in life at virtually every turn, while scruffy guitar buff up the dimple surface, Chris effortlessly propulsive in what could almost be quaint indie, but that’s because they’ve got the melodies nailed down cutely escalating when necessary, and dipping down for vocal emphasis, allowing choruses to purr, and able to end succinctly or sweetly crumpled. So much indie sounds genuinely naff, that indie with a natural nonchalant charm such as this is actually light years ahead.

 

‘Shake Shake’ also has the punky-indie sound, and is definitely my favourite here, the ragged nagging tune stumbling them tumbling forward with the shake-shake-shake thing cropping up like a little verbal jitter which gives it all a fantastic feel, as it spreads and oozes everywhere. (There’s also more distaste over touching for OCD-spotters, with a hands off the shirtsleeves warning.) ‘Obsession’ has more robust guitar as they sidle into a knowing cul-de-sac, the vocals going all defeatist, collapsing inwardly after another romantic disaster, the chorus a heartfelt pumper, although the groaning guitar break could have been dispensed with. He (Stu Mysterio) redeems himself in the wrigglier ‘Get This’ as guitars cross-cut and the bass of Jamie Deathrap bobbles along proudly. The two vocalists Em Of Green Gables and Lady Esther (there’s a TV detective series in them) simmer and Chris remains crisply polite as the song acquires a seedily soaring spirit.

 

Then they go all slushy with the ridiculously pretty ‘Valentine’s Day’ with a tale of gentle despair over at Ellis Island, like a folky lament you’d get in some TV show, a woman in a flowery skirt walking away from a tourist landmark, arms round herself, shortly before the credits roll. A paean to Ally McBeal perhaps? Anyway, she wants to tell the city that she’s sorry, so I think we can turn away discreetly and let her get on with it.

 

‘Give Me A Reason’ sees them back in an irate punky strop, with more bitterness and regret, but even-handed. ‘Twisting Song (Stranger Than Fiction)’ has a skipping beat, some chunky guitar and poppy vocal dementia, able fun throughout. ‘My Mona Lisa’ is comparatively ordinary, flowing coyly, and the scrawny ‘Dark Eyes’ is all puffed up energy, topped by the sharper guile of an equally punctilious, catchy ‘Dance With You.’

 

Then they go all slushy again, with the gracefully jazzy ‘Cracking – Swinging’ and it’s all over in the softly scampering style so swiftly you wonder what has happening, but it’s in keeping with their distinctively perky take on troublesome matters and there’s crafty variety bristling across the album. I’ve played it every day since it arrived and I suspect you might too, assuming you can actually find one.