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Sunday 04 Nov 2007 (Michael Bugeja - The Sunday Times of Malta)

The music scene in Malta, at least in terms of radio airplay, can be largely divided into two eras – BR7 and AR7. That’s ‘Before Room 7’ and ‘After Room 7’ in case you hadn’t guessed already. It’s not that local radios didn’t play Maltese music, but they usually restricted it to specialized programmes (therefore not as frequently), and state radio aside, they were mostly community stations. Room 7 – a catchy gem of a pop tune with rock trimmings – managed to transcend the ‘invisible barrier’ that seemed to be keeping local releases away from the commercial stations. Its popularity however, changed all that, and ever since, local bands have become a regular feature on all the local radio stations, certainly helped along by the profuse growth of bands and artists in both talent and professionalism.

But this article is not about Room 7 – it’s about Scream Daisy, the band behind that tune. Their debut album In Case Of Emergency, which I had described in my review back in 2002 as a record with a ‘knack for melody and infectious choruses’, made them a household name. At the same time, it also kind of nudged them into a tight corner that led to various line-up changes and for a while a spell of uncertainty of where to go next. Despite the string of single releases and numerous gigs that kept their presence on the scene alive, Scream Daisy were being regarded by some as perhaps too formulaic!

This was probably what instigated the band’s next move. Their most recent line-up change would see the return of original member Lincoln (also of Corkskrew) to the fold, joining fellow founders Jotham and Gary, recent recruits Tim on bass and Jeremy on lead guitar. This new set-up didn’t just refresh the physical aspect of the band; more importantly it injected a fresh approach in their musical mapping. An intense retreat behind closed doors at their rehearsal room gave them the opportunity to experiment with sounds and toy around with ideas that may have already existed in some form or other as far back as Room 7’s inception, but were probably sidelined in favour of more obvious crowd-pleasers at the time. Given the various individual musical influences in the band, the result could never be simple, nor could it be a mirror of what they had already achieved - and indeed it isn’t.

The release of Bees a few months back heralded the ‘new’ Scream Daisy sound. Aside from very obvious structural reshuffles in the song-writing department, the song, propelled by angular guitars, also supported the band’s intrinsic melodic inclinations but displayed a new form; an experiment that paid its dividends in full when it reached the top spots of the local radio charts. The public then, was all for the new direction. I chanced upon Lincoln at an Alternative Malta gig and remarked about the song’s relatively edgier slant, to which he had simply remarked, “Wait until you hear the rest”, which is of course what I have been doing with particular enthusiasm. Pretty, the second single off their imminent self-titled album, goes even further, taking this ‘edge’ and transforming it into a catchy number rich in layers of sound snippets draped around it to keep it in line with the alternative feel already displayed on Bees.

These two songs have conveniently, and effectively, paved the way for the album’s more alternative slant. Bridging the gap between Bees’ upbeat flow and Pretty’s laidback melody, a variety of sonic excursions and explorations make up the rest of the album. The crux of it all, as both Lincoln and Jotham explained to me, was that they had to forget how they used to be and start from scratch. This included a shift in Jotham’s vocal demeanour, a broader musical vision and the significance of considering how the spaces between the notes would be as essential to the end result as the actual notes that were played. It may all sound technical right now, but a listen to songs like Surrogate City or The Other Side of the Wall will make this easier to grasp.

In contrast, the weightier pull of opening track Seeing Is Believing, Go Away, 10 Days and Headlights (in my rearview mirror) proves that the band hasn’t lost any of its energy or melodic drive. On a different level, Astronaut reflects a similar vigour that manifests itself in contrasting measures, and on tracks like Learn to Fight and Airlifts, that same energy is suppressed, channelled instead into the songs’ soaring, lasting qualities. These two songs in particular are among the album’s most impacting offerings, but what makes Scream Daisy’s latest album tick is that despite its diversity it sounds cohesive and related throughout. This sense of continuity was a vital aspect that the band needed to capture if their musical reinvention was to work, and having listened to the record several times now, I can safely say it does.

Scream Daisy’s new album, which was recorded with producer David Vella at Temple Studios, will be released tomorrow. Apart from local music outlets, the album will also be available for digital download on the internet. The band, currently also involved with the Singing For Bay Kids project, will be officially launching the album with a live performance at Luxol on Saturday 17 November. Entrance will be by invitation only.

Scream Daisy website

Scream Daisy at MySpace