Multinational project THESE CURIOUS THOUGHTS is the name of the creative partnership between UK based lyricist Jamie Radford and US based composer and musician Sean Dunlop. They started cooperating back in 2004, and at this stage they close in fast on having released a dozen studio productions. “Inventing Dr Sutherland and His Traveling Hospital” dates back to 2014, and was released through US label Viaduct Records.
The band describes their music as mainstream indie rock, which I guess is an informative enough description in itself. Their compositions are all fairly short, they have an overall compelling nature to them, and they tend to operate with traditional structures to their compositions as well. There are a few additional dimensions to their music however, that most likely should see them being of interest also to a crowd outside of the mainstream indie scene. Personally, I’d find it just about as suitable to categorize their music, at least on this production, as art pop.
The opening half of this production is a fairly seamless and cohesive one. Calm, controlled vocals and elegant use of vocal harmonies gives these compositions something of a Beatles vibe at times, and the steady bass and careful drum patterns used as the foundation kind of emphasize that aspect of their music for me. They also include the occasional keyboard motif or presumably emulated string details adding an art rock dimension to the proceedings, and also play around with some unconventional structural elements, like the theatrical second half of title track “Inventing Dr Sutherland and His Traveling Hospital”. The use of calm guitar details is done in a manner that reference a band like The Beatles just as much as, say, REM, and the recurring use of brass bursts, again presumed emulated, also gives these songs a slight touch of Madness. With delicate psychedelic flavoring again expanding the scope and dimensions of the total experience.
On the second half of this album the band incorporate some additional tendencies as well. The stunning Backpack Full of Tears plays around with Americana-oriented sequences in their chosen playing field for instance, other songs have a stronger generic folk music and ballad feel to them, in between compositions more closely adhering to the style and approach explored in the first half of this production. Which further adds depth and scope to the overall impression of this album as far as I’m concerned. And in sum this is a charming creation indeed, with half a foot inside 60’s pop Beatles style, another half inside more of a late 80’s indie rock territory, and the rest a good blend of gentle psychedelia and some kind of folk music oriented turf.
It is a pleasant and generally upbeat and positive ride we’re taken on, and a fairly calm and controlled at that too. The mix and production is somewhat closed in though, so those who have a need for top notch mix and production may not find this album to be all that interesting due to that, but for those who treasure joyful, charming music that exists somewhere inside a Beatles meets indie rock and progressive rock context, “Inventing Dr Sutherland and His Traveling Hospital” is an album that should be just about as interesting as the title might indicate.
My rating: 81/100
