Making its slow crawl from the chaotic inner city to dark suburban streets, the winding route of a night bus is neatly captured in the sleepy-eyed title track of The Ancients’ new album. “There’s a pile-up my heart” sighs singer/songwriter Jonathan Michell, the sole passenger on an ambling, heavy vehicle as it makes its long-winded, early morning journey.
Michell is the one constant in The Ancients, forging a clear path ahead while an ever-changing line-up revolves around him. Night Bus is one of ten tracks that captures its subject matter beautifully on an album that’s well on par with their 2010 Sensory Records album The Ancients 2, but shows more diversity.
New single Hey Now is an eye-opening slab of pure pop, rivalled by the shimmering dream-pop of Green Face. She Lives In A Tent mystifies in a mere two minutes of baroque freak-folk, Hamster is an invigorating sunburst of celebratory shoegaze and the banjo-led House Of Cards gives off a wistful Rainbow Connection vibe. Finest of all is Molokai, the band’s richest composition yet and reason enough to seek out this collection.
Night Bus is a compelling travelogue that doesn’t always take the quickest or easiest route, but gradually weaves its magic and works its way into your head and your heart.
BY CHRIS GIRDLER
Best Track: Molokai
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Easy/House Music MUM SMOKES, Summerteeth WILCO
In A Word: Transportive
