The Slow Summits
Every Intention
Subjangle
Those of us of more advanced years—those who never quite look good in jeans and celebrate each time we spot a non-grey hair—often give the impression that we were transported to the very heart of jangle-pop through a collection of Sarah Records obscure bands discovered on some flexi disc purchased on eBay in 2007.
In reality, the 'Sarah Movement' only became a cult phenomenon in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Our introduction to jangle-pop often stemmed from R.E.M.'s commercial success in the mid-to-late 80s or the melodramatic charm of Morrissey and The Smiths. However, we rarely admit this, as Morrissey has become somewhat of a parody of himself in the past three decades, leading many hipsters among us to feel inclined to distance themselves from him.
After the recent release of the Yore Songs compilation, The Slow Summits, a foursome from Linköping, Sweden, return with their debut album, Every Intention. This album not only evokes the brilliance of the 'Pope of Mope' but also weaves that influence through various jangle-pop nuances.
As such, every ounce of Morrissey's vocal inflections are removed, except the merest 'just enough tinge, as the superbly controlled vocals of Anders Nyberg gently caress Dream On, Yrs Truly, and How Much? into the smoothest jangle-pop climes, whereas the more melancholy, dank, and dulcet' aesthetic that often typified the best of Morrissey's early solo work thrives within Oh Me, Oh My and Silly Things.
Indeed, the term "smooth" aptly describes much of this wonderfully melodic album. Tracks like "Better Off" and "Uh-Oh Forever" transition seamlessly into the scouse-pop realms of Shack and Pale Fountains, Whereas the slightest tempo shift sees them arrive the crooning style of Lloyd Cole or Pale Lights and their demi sophisti-pop allure.
Since the release of their first Languid Belles EP in 2019, The Slow Summits have consistently delivered jangle-pop brilliance over the past six years, and this Every Intention debut album finally fulfils the potential we all recognized in them.
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