Epicure

A favourite band is like an old friend. Sometimes you fall out of touch, but the memories never fade, and you remember the good times. “Old friends come and old friends go,” Juan Alban notes in ‘Evenings In Honduras’, the title track of Epicure’s new album. And just like that, one of our favourite bands is back. “Some years later, we were back again,” Juan sings. What’s a 16-year break between friends? If you were there, you know. And if you’re new to the Epicure story, well, you’ve got some treasures to discover, starting with this remarkable new record. The title track is an epic return, setting the scene for what’s to come. And that guitar outro is a thing of beauty. ‘Falling Apart’ finds the band putting the pieces together again, recapturing their own brand of majestic melancholia. ‘Gettin’ Out’ recalls the band’s beginnings, reminding us they can still rock. ‘Not OK’ is a glorious slice of slacker pop. ‘Jack Boots Snap’ sounds like a Motown smash. ‘Extinction Street’ is a pop gem, sparking memories of the early days of The Cars. ‘Wait You Out’ is mournful and magical. ‘Club Anaesthesia’ is a delightfully dark electro-pop excursion. And ‘Ohio’ is a country-rock classic. Then there’s the first single, ‘Is There Any Way Out Now?’, which captures the comeback story in all its glory – “When I’m down for the count, I get up” – adding some of Epicure’s trademark wry humour. “Sometimes,” Juan sings, “you got to give the people what they want.”