Ist - Toothpick Bridge

Toothpick Bridge is a bit of a schizoid album. Initially, it’s ditties like Pep Talk that trick you into thinking Ist are Mavericks-esque purveyors of brassy retro-pop (fans of Dance The Night Away, you've been warned). However, as the album unfolds, there’s something dark and cool for every slightly twee number. Remington Steele features some sleazy slap bass, while Company of Sense swipes out against Daily Mail-reading lynch mobs. She Clears Her Throat is an earnest ballad, and Would You Buy A Bible From This Man evokes Dark Side of the Moon-era Pink Floyd. Ist are at their best when ransacking the seedy underbelly of pop; however, they predominantly settle for its sunny, major-key face. Some careful tracklist-pruning could've turned Toothpick Bridge into something more interesting, but, as it is, there’s plenty of light and shade, if a little too much of the former.