Unorthodox? Yes. Musically brave? Most definitely! There are many other adjectives one could use to describe the sound of London-based three-piece, Carpool Conversation. Established by Irish-born Brian O’Reilly, the band began experimenting with genre’s, styles and sounds, way back in 2010. Though their energetic indie music comes across as improvised, the bands carefully prepared scat-stylings, are far from impulsive.
Taking almost six months to record, Carpool Conversation’s latest EP ‘African Queen in a Brazilian Dream,’ is a bounce-a-minute record, which jumps, quite literally, from one genre to the next. From jazz to indie, punk to alternative rock, the listener is constantly left guessing. This is never more apparent than on the EP’s title track. The song opens the album with upbeat, jiving guitars, and drums that have a mind of their own. These soon give way to a loopstation that creates a whirling sound-sphere, carrying the song to a close. This unique and indefinable sound, continues into ‘Night Owl.’ From the unique vocals, to modern scat-instrumentals, the eccentricity of the track keeps the EP fresh and interesting. ‘Night Owl’ also holds a certain amount of nostalgic rock ‘n’ roll within it, bringing yet another genre to the already-full table. The bands musical ensembles are undeniably their USP. With jazz interruptions and riffs that disappear as fast as they arrived, one thing this album provides, is uncertainty. Keeping the listener intrigued throughout, Carpool Conversation certainty do not play safe.
Truly deserving of the description ‘diverse,’ Carpool Conversation lack the usual signs of mainstream conformity. As a band, they do not attempt to fit in where they do not belong. Instead, they create a musical home of their own. Although that home may seem a tad kooky, it is warm and inviting, and any contemporary music fan should visit at least once. If you have been searching for the next musical bombshell, you may have just found it.
