I Felt My Sad Heart Soar Sampler Review

From Kittenpaiting:

"This is a three-track sampler for Kelman’s rather excellently titled forthcoming second album and a very pleasing thing it is indeed. The band have built on their melancholic, alcoholic tear-stained sound, gently prising it open to let in wisps of fresh air. They say they’re aiming for a rawer sound, closer to their live excursions (which can be heart-wrestingly, wrist-snappingly wonderful) whilst keeping the warmth and intimacy of their debut. And jings! I think they’ve achieved this.Kelman have warmth and intimacy for sure, at times you feel embarrassed to be eavesdropping on Wayne Gooderham’s thoughts. Take former single ’Is This How It Ends?’ reprieved here with its shiveryness and blood pumping in the ears rumble and the words ‘On the brink of something big. I’ve never known failure like this…’ You want to blush and look away, but icicle-drops of glockenspiel drip into a swell of guitar and organ and you cling on until seascape cymbals shimmer you towards a big finish, rushing impulsively over the edge.‘Commercial Road’ sees Kelman in almost-optimistic-mood-shocker! It takes some song-writing ability to write anything of beauty about this particular East End street, but here is an affecting song filled with soft ripples of delight. A gentler, more soothing sound with twinkly bits and brass tones (you can’t be down when the brass kicks in) and those words, "I felt my sad heart soar". Hang on though, what’s this? "Oh Lord I need a drink". Oh dear.There’s a lot of drunkenness in Kelman’s songs, and it seems like the new album will see more booze-fuelled long dark nights of the soul. This is, of course, no bad thing, as Kelman are quiet masters of the art. ‘Shut A Final Door’ sees Mr Gooderham "drunk in charge of a wired jealous heart" sliding through Tindersticks territory with cello and piano until everything cracks wide open on a jubilant organ riff and redemptively strummed guitar. Sounds to make your heart soar coming soon. Can’t wait!"

New Album Preview Review

From Indie MP3: "You may remember Tom writing about Kelman’s self-released double A-side single, Is This How It Ends?/Postcards, back in September last year. Since then the London group have been working on their second album, to be called 'I Felt My Sad Heart Soar', and have sent us a sampler of three tracks from it. In fact, one of the featured songs is the previous single, Is This How It Ends? It’s probably the strongest of the three, with the soaring instrumentation and Wayne Gooderham’s world-weary voice combining beautifully. The lovelorn, melancholy lyrics are reminiscent of Tindersticks’ kitchen-sink dramas, or Arab Strap in their less tawdry moments.The pace slows slightly on the second track, Commercial Road. It ticks along nicely and Gooderham’s plaintive tones are genuinely affecting, but at closer to four minutes than three it risks outstaying its welcome slightly.Third track, Shut A Final Door, is another sad song with themes of ending and loss. The music is spare most of the way through, with a cello adding to the doleful twilight feel. It’s the kind of song that would make a good album ender, in a similar vein to Butcher Boy’s ‘Days Like These Will Be The Death Of Me’. These songs suggest that Kelman’s forthcoming album will be worth watching out for. Providing they vary the pace and avoid turning it into a depressing plod, it has the potential to be something special."